Long Distance
by Pfefferminztea
Summary: How do you stay friends if he rejects you? And why is it so hard to let her go, if you don t love her? Anzu x Seto
1. The Art Of Emotionally Ruining Yourself

_Does anyone really think I´m claiming any rights on the characters or themes of Yu-Gi-Oh! ? _

_Well, just in case someone DOES, I´m not. They all belong to whoever owns the particular rights. _

_This chapter has been beta-read and approved of by SaphiresBlueTopaz to maximize your reading pleasure. Enjoy!_

* * *

"Hey. Wow, you really came."

That was without doubt the most pointless remark in the history of pointless remarks, of course he came. Would he be here trying to get all that snow off of his coat if he hadn't come?

"Mokuba kept telling me I don't have enough friends to let one of them go without a farewell party."

Personally, he preferred the version that said he didn't have anything else to do tonight and might as well attend a "normal" party for once. After all, they had all graduated and there probably wouldn't be much more opportunities.

"Whatever. I'm glad you could make it."

Well, that was new. No partly mocking, partly friendly answer, no cheeky retort? Even Anzu seemed to be sobered by her upcoming departure from Domino, if she didn't have anything of that sort in store for him.

--

He didn't feel at all comfortable in here, much less, than say, in his home office. But that was just him, it seemed. Everyone else was in the best of moods. Maybe it was just the fact that he was Seto Kaiba and he wasn't exactly born to party, or that there were at least fifty people in this room, of which he knew hardly more than ten. If he was to count the ones he actually liked, he wouldn't even need one hand to show the number. No surprise that he found himself sitting in a lonely corner as soon as the first few minutes of greeting and looking around were over.

"Why don't you join us? We could use some backup."

He frowned. This woman had made him abandon all principles and attend a post-high-school party. What more did she want? Making a fool of himself was not an option, not even – no, wait, especially not – if it was Anzu Mazaki who asked him to do it.

"Play SingStar? No, thanks. I think I prefer this."

She didn't object. Strange, wasn't that one of her favorite pastimes?

But she just flopped down beside him and snatched some Popcorn from a bowl on the table nearby. "Very well. I'll join you, then. I've had enough of singing for the next few months."

Now that she said it, why did he feel so uncomfortable at the thought of her stepping on that plane to America tomorrow? To start a career primarily financed by summer jobs in his company?

Damn his memory. Sometimes it was a curse he was able to remember every little detail, however irrelevant.

--

"Was that all you wanted?"

She hated the way her heart skipped a beat at that languid question, like it did every time he caught her offhand. How could it possibly be that hard to say something she had wanted to say for weeks now? It wasn't like this was the first time she was in love. And she was sure that he, in some way, liked her too. He wouldn't be here if he didn't, would he? So he wouldn't kill her or anything.

And whatever his answer would be, she would be gone in a few hours, anyway. She wouldn't have to see him for a long time, maybe never again. You couldn't expect Seto Kaiba to keep in touch just for the sake of some old friendship. She took her courage in both hands and blurted out in one breath what she had prepared in so many careful words.

"No, it wasn't. I figured it might be… good if I told you how much I cared for you, you know, before I'm gone and everything. I think I'm in love with you."

What kind of a confession was that?

Had anyone ever heard of something that stupid, embarrassing, awkward, or, to put it in a nutshell – unromantic?

It was a true miracle of anatomy that her cheeks managed to get hot in the few seconds it had taken her to say that.

--

Oh, come on, you can do better. Why was he so disappointed? Why would he even care what kind of a proposal he had to turn down? And he had suspected, of course, she would say something like that, sooner or later.

In love. Ridiculous. She knew he didn't want to have anything to do with that. And even if he wanted, he wouldn't be stupid enough to set his heart on a girl who was preparing to run off to New York. Who could tell what she would think of next? If there was any kind of love he believed in, it was one that had a lot to do with trust and reliability and emotional safety. Not with a flight around the globe.

Then why did it take him so long to answer?

Probably because, for some stupid, twisted reason he liked her, platonically, of course, and he didn't just want to laugh her in the face the way he would have done with any other admirer.

His answer was as sensitive as usual, "But we both know that's nothing mutual, right?"

For once, he almost instantly regretted that he had been so cold. Awkwardly he added, "And, besides, I don't want to be the one you ruin your career for, just because it's complicated to keep up a long-distance relationship."

Obviously, that didn't quite suffice to cheer her up. Anzu only gave him a forced grin and got up. "Yeah… sure. Of course. You're right. Well… enjoy the party and… good bye. I don't think we'll see each other again before I'm off."

She was brave, he had to admit that. And it wasn't her fault that he lacked the talent of expressing inconvenient truths more agreeable than they were. So Seto accepted her hug quietly – really, he probably just imagined it lasted a second or two longer than the one she would give each of her friends at the airport tomorrow – and watched her cross the room, trying to seem light-hearted, but not completely managing to do so. "Coke anyone?"

Any other girl would have shut herself up in her room and cried her heart out, and rightly so, but not Anzu. She'd become so much of a cheerleader that now she could return to her party and act like everything was normal, when her heart had just broken inside her.

For a moment, Seto almost forgot that he had been the reason for that, and became quiet, an admiring spectator of a show no one else recognized as being one. She would make a good actress, no doubt, it came to her naturally. And while he had only sneered at her earlier, now he had to admit that her constant smile was quite an art in itself. She had just as many troubles to face as the other man, but instead of letting everyone know or hide behind an artificial cold-heartedness the way Seto did, she tried to act the way she did so she didn't hurt any more people.

He doubted whether that was always the best way for herself, but it was certainly an admirable accomplishment.


	2. From Anzu, With Love

_This chapter has been beta-read and approved of by SaphiresBlueTopaz. I re-read it as well and changed some expressions to make it easier to understand. Together, we agreed to post the e-mail adresses in another format, they seem to have been deleted in the last version. (It seems you can´t post any e-mail adresses here...? Anyway, they´re just fictional, so there should be no harm in posting them.)_

FROM: iheartny [at] yahoo [dot] com

TO: kaiba-seto [at] kc [dot] com; thegreatpretender [at] hotmail [dot] com; mr_motorcycle [at] hotmail [dot] com; juniorpharaoh [at] yahoo [dot] com; watchyourdata [at] yahoo [dot] com; CEOintraining [at] kc [dot] com; kingofdices [at] dungeondicemonsters [dot] com; ghostwriter [at] yahoo [dot] com; se-chan [at] kawaii [dot] com; harpies_sister [at] femaleduelist [dot] com

SUBJECT: Finally arrived

Hey guys!

Yeah, I made it. I actually survived that flight. :) I hate flying (now don't laugh, you two snobby businessmen over there, not everyone's got a company to run and a super-modern jet at his private disposal!), but at least it's over now.

The food they're offering here is not exactly French cuisine, but I think I can live with it - it's not like there weren't any other places to eat in NEW YORK CITY. (Still can't believe I'm really, truly here.)

My roommate is a girl named Alice, nice, but not exactly talkative, and I don't think I'll get involved in any wild parties hanging out with her.

Again, I just have to repeat that: I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M FINALLY HERE!!

Write soon, I miss you all terribly,

Anzu

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
FROM: juniorpharaoh [at] yahoo [dot] com

TO: iheartny [at] yahoo [dot] com

SUBJECT: RE: Finally arrived

Hi Anzu,

Good to hear that you're okay. I hope you're not too homesick, but there's probably not enough time for that, right?

Nothing happened over here, aside from us trying to get used to the thought that you're on the other side of the globe now.

Joey and Tristan show withdrawal symptoms already, as they don't feel your positive impact all the time.

But tell me, how's New York? The way you imagined? Did you meet any other people aside from your roommate? Have your lessons started yet? Did you do any sightseeing so far?

We miss you,

Yugi

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
FROM: kaiba-seto [at] kc [dot] com

TO: iheartny [at] yahoo [dot] com

SUBJECT: Don't you dare

Anzu,

I don't appreciate it very much that you call me snobbish, so cut that next time. Maybe you'd like to try doing my work for a change, if you like flying so much? (Besides: Swallowing helps getting rid of the pressure on your ears.)

I wonder why you even have time to spam me, shouldn't you be busy learning?

Regards,

Seto Kaiba

C/o Kaiba Corp.  
78978 Main Street  
6789 Domino

Japan

Phone: 0081 98989 567890  
Fax: 0081 98989 567891

FROM: harpies_sister [at] femaleduelist [dot] com

TO: iheartny [at] yahoo [dot] com

SUBJECT: RE: Finally arrived

Anzu, Anzu,

You're way too well-behaved. I'd thought New York would light some fire under your ***. Short skirts are all right, but you'd better make sure someone who's actually worth it gets to see them, so don't waste them on school. So forget your roommate and look for another opportunity! I don't want to have you come back as a virgin, got that?

Now shut down that computer and head for the city!

Mai

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
FROM: thegreatpretender [at] hotmail [dot] com

TO: iheartny [at] yahoo [dot] com

SUBJECT: RE: Finally arrived

heyho anzu,

greetings to lady liberty and your starbucks of choice!

i hope those americans aren't bothering you too much.

have some pretty fellow dancers at least?

we have to know wheter visiting you is worth the flight, you know. :D

theoretically, since we're all broke.

don't do anything i wouldn't do as well

joey

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
FROM: iheartny [at] yahoo [dot] com

TO: thegreatpretender [at] hotmail [dot] com

SUBJECT: RE: Finally arrived

Well Joey,

I don't have a "Starbucks of choice" yet, and I didn't have time to visit Lady Liberty so far, but I'll keep that in mind.

Don't worry; most of the Americans I met so far are really nice people. And some idiots you meet everywhere. And hey, no bowing, that's nice for a change. ;) Though everyone here seems to think we don't do anything else at home. That, and running around like crazy taking pictures of everyone and everything. Sure.

Now, don't brag, I know you wouldn't have the guts to talk to one of the girls over here. You don't even really talk to Mai, and you don't have to use English around her. :D

CU

Anzu

FROM: iheartny [at] yahoo [dot] com

TO: juniorpharaoh [at] yahoo [dot] com

SUBJECT: RE: Finally arrived

Hi Yugi!

Homesickness is… terrible! Luckily, I don't have much time for that and my new classmates are super nice, all of them. So far, I only know the ones from my "class" (though you can't really call it a class, since we have our lessons in differing groups all the time), but they, at least, are all quite nice. Okay, a few of them are quite... bitchy, but whatever.

The way I imagined it to be? To be honest, I didn't imagine a lot. I think. I'm not sure. But hey, a few weeks ago I didn't think I'd ever, really, make it as far as this!

School started yesterday, so I didn't have much time to do any sightseeing yet. My first days I spent moving in and trying to find my way around the campus and stuff. But as soon as I got some free time to kill, I'll go and visit all those famous places. I can't wait for that!

Free time seems to be quite rare at this school though. Every day when I get home, I'm so tired I have to sleep for several hours first. And then there's homework…  
Why am I even complaining? This school is GREAT, I'm so glad I even get to be here!

Love,

Anzu

FROM: iheartny [at] yahoo [dot] com

TO: harpies_sister [at] femaleduelist [dot] com

SUBJECT: RE: Finally Arrived

Oh Mai,

Don't worry. I'll grow up in time, but I just don't think we have the same opinion about what exactly you have to do to be grown up.

By the way, thanks so much, but I don't think I need someone else who's "worth it" for some time to come.

Greetings from NYC

Anzu

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FROM: iheartny [at] yahoo [dot] com

TO: kaiba-seto [at] kc [dot] com

SUBJECT: What kind of person would be so fussy about the subject?

Beloved Seto,

Forget it, I'll call you whatever I want to call you. To get rid of me you'll have to change your mail address (though I'd probably find out what THAT is in two seconds, thinking of how very creative you are in these things). By the way, thanks for your advice. I'll try that next time I have to fly somewhere.

If you must know, I DO have a lot of work to do right now. But I'll always find some time for my friends. And in case you don't want to be called that by me anymore, just think of it this way: Who am I to claim I'm busy if even Mr. I-don't-have-time-to-eat-Kaiba can answer my humble e-mails?

Greetings,

Anzu

FROM: CEOintraining [at] kc [dot] com

TO: iheartny [at] yahoo [dot] com

SUBJECT: RE: Finally arrived

Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeey Anzu,

I'm sooooooooooooo sorry I didn't write before! But you know my brother…the day he can't think of any more extra lessons for me (to prepare me for the important work I am to do for Kaiba Corp… like I don't do that already!) will be the day he and Yugi become friends. And we both know he won't let THAT happen to him.

:D It's really cool you finally get to follow your dream and dance professionally! I'm so glad you got the chance! I hope everything will be the way you dreamed it to be!

Tell us in time if you decide to come home, so we can prepare to receive our great dancer with all the honour she deserves!

Greetings from Domino,

Mokuba

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FROM: iheartny [at] yahoo [dot] com

TO: CEOintraining [at] kc [dot] com

SUBJECT: RE: Finally arrived

:) Mokuba,

I wouldn't claim to know your brother, but I can imagine what you mean. However, it will take a looooong time still for me to become a great dancer.

Still, it's nice to hear from you, our first tests are just around the corner now – after two weeks! Can you imagine?? I can really relate to you with your tons of extra work.

Keep in touch,

Anzu

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FROM: kaiba-seto [at] kc [dot] com

TO: iheartny [at] yahoo [dot] com

SUBJECT: That's what it's there for, Mazaki

Anzu,

I feel honoured you sacrifice your valuable time to write to me. But let's make one thing very clear: That does NOT make me your "beloved Seto". And my address doesn't have to be creative, just appropriate to print on business cards.

Yesterday the mutt had the nerve to show up and ask me for a summer job. It's a mystery to me how he could even make it to my office, but he's stubborn enough for that, it seems. Maybe you could explain to him some time that that's why the Human Resources department is there for? I doubt whether he cared for what I had to tell him.

Regards,

Seto Kaiba

C/o Kaiba Corp.  
78978 Main Street  
6789 Domino

Japan

Phone: 0081 98989 567890  
Fax: 0081 98989 567891

FROM: iheartny [at] yahoo [dot] com

TO: kaiba-seto [at] kc [dot] com

SUBJECT: Whatever

I'm so sorry, Kaiba-sama…

But I can only repeat myself: I'll call you what I want to call you, same as you do with me. If you really know a way to make you anything else to me, do tell me. I'd appreciate it as much as you would.

I'll tell Joey if I remember it.  
But I can't guarantee you he'll take it to heart.

C U

Anzu

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FROM: kaiba-seto [at] kc [dot] com

TO: iheartny [at] yahoo [dot] com

SUBJECT: RE: Whatever

Anzu,

Don't get sentimental. Did you think I wouldn't notice what you meant just because you embellished it with some irony?

I can't help it that you had to fall in love with me, and I certainly didn't ask you to do so.

Sorry if that's hard to get for someone like you, but you knew from the beginning that I didn't want to have anything to do with that.

Better fall out of love again.

Regards,

Seto Kaiba

C/o Kaiba Corp.  
78978 Main Street  
6789 Domino

Japan

Phone: 0081 98989 567890  
Fax: 0081 98989 567891


	3. Why Me?

Two months of test after test… sighing, Anzu flopped down on one of the sofas that lined the dance floor

Two months of test after test… sighing, Anzu flopped down on one of the sofas that lined the dance floor. Well, that was over now. From now on, she could decide on her own where, when and how she wanted to dance – at least until it was time for her next exam. And if she didn't want to, she didn't have to dance. Like now, for instance. _I need a break,_ she decided and got up to fetch herself something to drink.

--

When she got back, her seat was already occupied. "Could you…" … move a little, she'd wanted to say, but she fell silent when her eyes fell on the familiar face of Seto Kaiba. "What the hell are YOU doing here??", she almost screamed.

And as usual, she just received an ironic look. "What a nice way of receiving me after five months.", he replied dryly, but moved a little to the side so she could sit down. Anzu arranged herself and looked at him again. He had changed as much on the outside as in character: not at all. "Funny. Now don't tell me our separation made you suffer that much. Okay, let's try again: What brings you here? And how did you even get in, I thought this was invitations only." A smirk appeared on Seto's face. "You can't seriously think that I have any problem with getting on that list at short notice? And as for what brings me here: I have business in New York and was looking for a way to spend the evening." Anzu crossed her legs angrily and took a sip of her Bloody Mary. "And among the 10 000 parties going on in this city tonight, you accidentally picked the one I am attending?" Seto rolled his eyes. "In case you haven't noticed, your company is quite exclusive tonight, so this party would have been one to consider anyway. And, of course, I'd rather go somewhere where I know someone. I'm just human, after all, even if you doubt it." Anzu cursed herself for that stupid, absurd, naïve hope she felt at his words. After all, she had never really given up on Seto. And it wasn't quite like him to go to parties, yet he sat there as if it was the most natural thing in the world, and talked to her. No sane person would have speculated on that, of course, but it seemed Anzu had left her common sense at Domino along with her heart. Only that had been carried around the globe in Setos hand luggage, it seemed.

--

"Well, well. Then you owe me a dance, at least.", she answered calmly and got to her feet. Seto looked at here as if he only repressed the "over my dead body" that was already on his lips because it didn't quite fit in with his refined vocabulary.

"Come on, don't be such a bore." Anzu jerked him up by his wrist and dragged him along with her onto the dace floor, just when the DJ started a new song. Perfect.

_When marimba rhythms start to play  
Dance with me, make me sway  
Like a lazy ocean hugs the shore  
Hold me close, sway me more_

Anzu lost herself in the rhythms and began to sway with the music. This was something she knew, she was good at, and she enjoyed. And though she made no particular attempt to bring him closer, she was nearer to the man of her dreams at this moment than usual, much closer.

_Like a flower bending in the breeze  
Bend with me, sway with ease  
When we dance you have a way with me  
Stay with me, sway with me_

Other dancers may be on the floor  
Dear, but my eyes will see only you  
Only you have the magic technique  
When we sway I go weak

Plus, he was a really good dancer, she observed, though she could see that it had been a long time since he had done this last. Clearly, Seto hat at one point of his life spent quite an amount of time and energy on learning the basics of dancing, and probably some advanced things as well. Seeing that he didn't seem to care for it now, it had probably been while his stepfather still arranged his schedule. But whatever. She shot him a bright simile while they moved together to the gentle melody.

_I can hear the sounds of violins  
Long before it begins  
Make me thrill as only you know how  
Sway me smooth–_

"That's enough." She was interrupted rudely in her dancing as well as her dreams when Seto pushed her away. "Don't you EVER do that again!", he hissed and turned on the spot to leave the room as fast as he could without loosing his dignity, stopping only to snatch his coat from where he left it on the sofa. Unbelievingly, Anzu stared at the place where he had vanished, at the same time uncomfortably aware that all the other people in the room had their eyes on her. Obviously, they had only now realized Seto's presence at all, along with the fact that he had just turned down another – so it had to seem – annoying fangirl.

--

He was astonished to feel how cool the wind felt on his face. Had it been that hot in there? He certainly hadn't noticed that. Sighing, Seto opened the drivers door of his car and got in. He had told the driver he'd drive for himself tonight, luckily. Nobody had to see Seto Kaiba like this – out of his wits because of a _girl_. Who did she think she was, ordering him around like that? Well, that was not new, coming from Anzu. She just was bossy like that, had to, maybe, being friends with the mutt and that bunch of idiots. But sometimes he wondered why _he_ ever bothered to deal with her, if she just took the chance to try and change him for what she believed to be the better. This time, she'd taken it a step to far. He didn't mind dancing, but he didn't exactly like it, either, so he saved it for occasions where he could absolutely not help it – official balls, for instance. If he started dancing at informal parties like this one, everyone who wanted to spread rumors about him would jump at the chance and make up an enormous story. And really, the last thing he wanted was being suspected to have a secret affair with Anzu Mazaki. He liked her, he really did, though he had never put it like that, much less in her presence. But tonight, he had wanted nothing else than enjoying a nice, relaxed evening. He hadn't want to think about whether or not the person he was talking to wanted just his company, or something else. Whatever "something else" might be – money, in most cases, or, when it came to Anzu, his love. A love couldn't give and didn't want to give anyway.

He would almost have preferred it if she'd just wanted his money. He knew women like that, and he could just ignore them. But someone who actually loved him? That was new, and what was new, was dangerous, for he didn't know how to handle it.

--

What had she done to deserve this? Was she really so repulsive that he had to leave her in the middle of the dance floor, humiliating her in front of everyone present? Anzu repressed her tears once more and closed the door of her room behind her. Luckily, Alice wasn't at home – she did her best to lose that "girl next door" image that clung to her – and Anzu had the flat for herself. She really wasn't in the mood to answer any questions, well meant or not. She pulled down the rubber band that had hold her ponytail in place so far and threw it across the room in sudden anger. Damn it, it hadn't been her choice to fall in love with Seto! Who would want to, if they were honest? Sure, _now_ she would be able to give a thousand reasons why he was worth it, and his fame and wealth would appear quite at the bottom of that list, but if she'd hat the choice, she wouldn't have given her heart to him. Seconds after she'd thrown herself onto her bed, she burst into tears once again. Hadn't she tried hard enough? Hadn't she done everything to convince Seto she was worth it? After all, as far as she knew, she was the only person aside from Mokuba to whom he had confided in sometimes. She had showed him how much she cared for him, without kissing his ass as other people did. Yes, they had quarreled, but she had always seen that as a challenge, and even some sort of fun. Had she been so damn wrong in assuming that he'd thought the same about it? She, at least, hat enjoyed having a partner that was equal to her in quick-wittedness and didn't just start to insult her after two sentences. And then, she had loved him for all those months, without ever receiving any sign of sympathy from him. And it wasn't like there had been no other men available.

Anzu wasn't exactly going to call that a personal achievement, even if she'd wanted to, she would hardly been able to fall in love with someone else right away. But… she HAD waited for him, and not because there had been no other options. Couldn't he at least recognize that? Spare one dance for her? She hadn't demanded anything, except those few delicious minutes.

--

Next time they met, it was New Years Eve. Seto considered briefly to ask if she still didn't have a boyfriend to pick her up after tonight's performance and spend this night with, but for once, he figured he'd done enough damage already and just wished her a happy new year. Anzu looked back at him blankly and asked: "Why do you always have to show up here? You KNEW I'd be performing tonight, couldn't you just choose another theater?" She didn't even sound angry, only tired. Seto thought about this. The answer would have been: Because he'd secretly hoped to meet her, but of course he didn't say that aloud. He didn't even admit it to himself, but even for Seto Kaiba it was kind of depressing to be all alone on New Years Eve, and Mokuba had decided to spend it with his girlfriend this year, rather than his brother. "Is my company that repulsive to you?" Anzu shook her head and looked away. "That's not the point. The point is, _I knew where I was. I'd given up hope_, you know. And then you come back and remind me of that stupid crush I had on you. _I should hate you._" Oh, great. So now they were back where they'd started. Seto rolled his eyes. "Well, _it seems to me a strange thing _that you don't just move on. You were always so damn proud of being a strong, realistic girl, what about that now? No, wait. Let's talk about something else. We both know where this is going to get us." He sighed. "_Could we start again, please?_" Even he had no desire to spend the night arguing. "Fine." Anzu didn't sound like it was FINE, but at least she attempted to smile. "Let's talk about something else. I had a strange dream tonight, d' you want to hear about it?" She talked lightly, TOO lightly. False. Before Seto could even reply to that strange offer, she went on: "_I remember there was mist, swirling mist upon a vast, glassy lake. There were candles all around and on the lake, there was a boat. And in the boat, there was a man._ That's all. Strange, isn't it? Now, your turn. Don't you ever have strange dreams?" Seto frowned. "None that I would want to tell you about, no." What was wrong with her? She couldn't be drunk yet, could she? "Oh, come on", Anzu insisted. "Just tell me. _Any dream will do._" Seto just shook his head and got up. "Come back when you're sober."

Later, when everyone went outside to watch the fireworks, they found themselves next to each other again. Anzu tried to ignore Seto, she felt ashamed of herself. Why did she always have to talk nonsense around him? "So." She finally said. "_Where do we go from here?_ I know where I want to be, but you? Is there anything someone like you can still wish for? _Someone on top of the world_?" Well. That wasn't much better than dreams, but at least it was a normal thing to ask each other during the last minutes of a year. "I don't know. Sure, I'd like to expand my business further. Nothing special, probably." Nothing SHE would be interested in. "That's all? No family, not even a girlfriend?" Oh, no, not again. He looked away, not wanting to risk another discussion. But Anzu didn't give up that easily. "Come on, don't be so damn proud. There's nothing wrong with admitting it. You know, someone else to love than Mokuba would be _surprisingly_ _good for you_, I'm sure of that." Seto turned his head and stared at her angrily. "Now, _Miss America, go preach at someone else._ My life is none of your business. So please just try another one. Or go. _Go now and leave me!_"

--

It wasn't until the phone rang at 12 am that Anzu woke up the next morning. "-ello?", she muffled. The laughter that greeted her seemed to come from far, far away. Which was actually true, she realized, when Mai's voice rang trough. "Gosh, Anzu, you still in bed? I thought you were to much of a good girl to stay up that long!" Ouch. Her head seemed to explode. "Mai, do you have to shout? Why are you calling, anyway?" It wasn't like the new year had begun in Japan, yet. Not if you went by the traditional calendar, anyway. "Just to wish you a Happy New Year, people do that sometimes, you know. How did you spend the evening? You don't sound very happy." Oh, yeah. Anzu closed her eyes. She'd have preferred not to be reminded of that. "Arguing with Seto Kaiba.", she sighed. "Don't ask. He showed up at that party, it wasn't like I ran after him or anything. I didn't even know he was in town." Mai made some kind of disapproving sound that cut straight through Anzus eardrums. She winced. "Anzu, Anzu… Just ignore him, you know by now he's an idiot, don't you? So why waste your breath on him? Not to mention, a perfectly good night, when there are lots of other guys around?" How did Mai even know? She could have been at a girls only party and Seto had slipped in somehow… okay, not very likely. But whatever. "Thanks so much for your advice. That was really what I've been waiting for all night." Not. "But if you must know, looks like I'm _too much in love to care_ whether he's an idiot or not." Oh, no. Now Mai would tease her endlessly. Anzu considered to just hang up and go back to sleep, but surprisingly, Mai didn't say anything. For a few seconds. "Then why do you argue? I know, you're used to be the cheerleader and all, idealistic to your death, but that's not what's going to get you a boyfriend. Unless he's a 3000-year-old pharaoh, maybe." Anzu decided this call would take to much time for her to go to sleep again when it was over, and sat up. "So what do you advise me to do, Dr. Valentine?", she asked sarcastically. Her blonde friend sighed again, as if she already knew Anzu was a hopeless case. "Well, obviously, _you'll never get him if you don't attack._ And by attack, I don't mean preach at him. Why don't you call him and ask him for a date? He doesn't seem TO reluctant to meet you, does he?" Sure. "Mai, I'm in love. But I'm not STUPID. No one asks Seto Kaiba for a date, you know that. NO ONE. Now, change of topic. How are the others?"

--

Somehow, he doubted it was a good idea to ring at Anzu's door now. Their last encounter hadn't gone that well, after all, and her last e-mails weren't what you'd call amiable. Anyway, he was here, so he might as well try what happened. He stretched out his hand, but hesitated again before he rang the bell. Heavens, he wasn't afraid of Anzu, was he? What could she even do to him, except for closing the door in his face again? That wouldn't be nice for him, but she'd calm down again. He hoped so, anyway, though he wasn't quite sure why he even cared. In any case, Anzu was the only woman about his age he could talk to normally, and that was probably worth the effort. He pushed the button without thinking any further.

And found himself staring at a pretty blonde with swollen, red eyes, who looked at him like he was some sort of extraterrestrial visitor. "Who are you?", she demanded to know and managed to sound extremely unfriendly, despite her sobs. If that was Anzu's roommate, it was no wonder she wasn't too enthusiastic about her. "Good morning.", he offered calmly. "I'd like to see Anzu, is she home?" The girl still seemed to be close to tears. "Yes… of course.", she muttered and then called back into the flat: "Anzu! It's for you!" Then she turned around and left Seto on the threshold, alone. "Who- Oh." Anzu didn't end her question, she just put her dishcloth aside and looked at Seto. "It's you. Again." Her tone was less aggressive than she had obviously intended, so she tried again: "What do you want?" "Pay you a visit, since I'm in town already.", he answered without any sign of emotion. "In town?", Anzu asked suspiciously. "You seem to be _in town_ quite regularly. Not that it's any surprise, Domino is practically in the neighborhood, after all." Great. He didn't want to argue again. Couldn't she just appreciate his effort and at least _look_ pleased if he visited her? This girl seemed determined to be anything but normal. Annoyed, he turned to the door. "If you're in the mood for dropping your sarcasm and talk normally, I'll wait downstairs in my car. If your cheeky questions are all you have in stock, I have employees for that, at least I can fire them when they get too bothersome."

--

Too bitchy… too normal… too colorful… too boring… too elegant… Even Anzu's newly made-over wardrobe couldn't spare her the feeling of having nothing to wear as soon as Seto showed up on her doorstep. Like he even cared how she dressed. But she couldn't exactly show up in her everyday clothes, who could tell where he wanted to take her? Not to a fancy restaurant or anything, probably, unless he'd changed his mind a _lot_ since their last meeting, and he'd have told her that right away, she guessed. Finally, she decided to wear her regular jeans and a long-sleeved shirt in emerald green with twinkling, golden threads woven into the fabric. She'd barely done dressing when she headed for the door, hoping that Seto would still be waiting.

--

He liked what he'd chosen. With the atmosphere like this, she couldn't possibly think he wanted anything close to a romantic date. The bar they were sitting in looked very futuristic, silver furniture, magenta cushions, tiny, but numerous lights shining at the ceiling. "How do you get on with your lessons?", he asked in a polite, and, what was more, interested way. He didn't think much of dancing, but obviously, it was a real passion and quite a talent of hers. Anzu seemed to have gotten him wrong. "Funny.", she hissed. "I wasn't _that_ bad, at least I spared your toes." What? It took him a few moments to get what she was hinting on. Couldn't she just forget that? Why did women have to be so complicated? This one, anyway. He didn't have to deal with a lot of others in this way, luckily. "Anzu, it's been two months! So don't act like I inflicted some unspeakable cruelty on you!" Her face told plainly that she thought he had. "Maybe for _you_ two months are enough to forget that, but _you _don't have colleagues like mine to remind you of it every day. They think it very funny that I get top grades all the time, but apparently still dance bad enough to scare my partner away in the middle of a song." So she didn't know why he really did it? "Your colleagues seem to me like a bunch of bored idiots, if that's all they have to do. And it wasn't your dancing that "scared me away", I couldn't have found any better partner for that." Damn his tongue for letting that thought form in his mouth. That was exactly the sort of comment that might give her wrong ideas about his motives again. Luckily, she didn't seem to have noticed. Instead, she looked like she was going to cry, a sight quite unusual to him. One of the things he liked about Anzu was that she rarely cried. "Then why did you just run away?", she asked, her voice shaking with sobs. "I'm not _that _revolting, am I?" He hadn't even hinted on that! "I didn't want you to form any false hopes, that's all! You know exactly that I'm not the kind of person to get involved in a relationship, but you won't realize it!"

_Nonsense, I know. The part with the ALW-musical-excerpts. But somehow, I wanted to write this. :D_

_So, now the English version of this chapter has three bonus scenes. _


	4. Home, Sweet Home

Home

Home. Anzu began to realize how sweet this word could _really _taste after she had been gone for two whole years. Before, all she wanted to do was go away, live in the city of her dreams, learn the profession of her dreams. By now, she had learned that dreams like that could cost you a lot of sweat and tears as well, but she wouldn't want to change her mind, even if she could go back those two years and start all over again. Still, it was a relief to be back where she came from, where she knew every telephone cell and could run about with her eyes closed, and take not a single wrong turn. Even rush hour in Domino was sort of relaxing if you knew the New York equivalent. But the best part, she thought, was that no one, save for her parents, knew she was back, and the two of them had promised not to tell anyone. With almost childish enthusiasm Anzu took care that no one she knew crossed her path while she arranged some final things for her surprise party in the evening. Now she could only hope everyone she wanted to invite would be home. She had to admit that bothered her a little. But, on the other hand, it was a normal Saturday night. What could they possibly have in mind that couldn't be delayed for their friend's welcome-back-party?

"Anzu!" So she'd been right, word hadn't gotten around yet. Anyone else might have feigned amazement to do her a favor, but Mokuba's eyes shone in real surprise, she was sure of that. "Hey, _Moki_." She grinned and hugged him as she'd done before, Mokuba didn't even protest. And yet, he was 16 now, she had to remind herself in something very close to shock. He was still so… so much his old, cute, childish self. At least in looks. "Come on in!", he called now, "When did you come back?" She smiled and stepped into the entrance hall of the Kaibas' villa, but looked around cautiously. "Today. Is… your brother home?" Mokuba looked annoyed and a little disappointed. "He's at work, as always. I can call him, if my company isn't enough for you. But I doubt he'll come home." Anzu shook her head. "No, it's okay. I didn't want him to know, anyway." She turned and looked at Mokuba. "Look, I wanted to surprise the others, they don't know I'm home yet. Would you mind to call them and invite them for tonight? Just tell them you've got a surprise for them, so they will show up." Beneath the raven mane a grin began to form. "Sure, I'll call them at once. Anything else I can help you with?" Anzu refused with a gesture. "Thanks, but I've got everything I need. Here's the address." She handed him a sheet. "Now I must fly, see you later!"

--

Nervously, she checked her image in the mirror for what had to be the eighth time already. Heavens, why did she worry that much what she looked like tonight? Like her friends would mind, even if she showed up dressed in an old nightgown. What did Joey, Tris, Yugi and the others care about her American fashion imports?

Still, she tried to justify herself, this wasn't any regular party, she hadn't seen them for ages, and she wanted to look good, if only to show them she'd been fine. One last time she adjusted her blouse and smoothed down her skirt that suddenly looked just a little bit _too _much like her old high school uniform. Then she ran downstairs to try the salad again and make sure there was enough coke for everyone. _This is sick._, she told herself. _I shouldn't be that nervous. _There wasn't anything she could do about it, but draw a deep breath and load her parents' car with all the stuff she wanted to take with her. Then she called her mother to remind her of her promise to give Anzu a lift to her old dance studio, where she'd rented a room for the night that was big enough to throw a party like that. Some things you just couldn't afford if you blew all your money on an education as a dancer. Like a drivers license, for instance. Oh, well. She could get that later, after all – Anzu felt a rush of pride and excitement at the thought – she had a job now. A real one, not just a summer job at Kaiba Corporation or an opportunity to baby-sit.

"Guess who?" Anzu whirled around when two big, masculine hands came to rest upon her eyes. "_Justin!_" "The same." The raven haired American grinned. "I decided to take the early flight, so I'd be able to help you a little. I guess you don't mind?" Anzu's face was radiant with joy. "Of course not! Would you put the bottles into the fridge, please? I have to arrange these on the buffet ." She gestured at the presumably two million bowls around her that made the otherwise short way to the fridge seem like a jungle path. "Gosh, Anzu, how many people did you invite? I thought you said it was only your best friends and us?" Anzu sighed. "I know. But you've never seen Tristan and Joey having lunch… trust me, they'll clear away all this and go look for more. I just want it to be perfect… I haven't seen them for ages!" And that had been harder than she'd expected, though she had known all along that the separation from her friends wouldn't be easy to endure. Justin tried not to look too amused about her worries and made his way past chicken wings and several salads to do what she had asked him to. "Don't you think they come to see you, not to eat?" "I hope so. But I don't want them to starve." It was no use. He decided not to argue any further.

--

Yugi was the first to arrive. And as always, he immediately assumed he was the one who had made a mistake when someone he didn't know opened the door. "I'm sorry.", he said, blushing slightly. "I think I have the wrong address." Bewildered, his eyes turned from Justin to the number beside the door to the note in his hand and back. "Depends on whom you're looking for." Justin grinned, but wondered why Anzu had never told him how… weird her friends looked. "Justin, shut up." Anzu wriggled past him and rushed to hug her best friend. "Yugi! I'm so glad you could make it." The young man stared at her in surprise. "Anzu…?" Then a smile brightened up his face. "Why didn't you tell us you're coming home?" His friend laughed cheerfully, obviously delighted her secret hadn't leaked through. "It would have ruined her surprise if I had. Now, come on in. This is Justin, by the way." The American gave Yugi a nod. "I'm off, I think we need a new light bulb. This one won't last long any more. I think I saw a supermarket round the corner?" He slipped into his jacket while Yugi and Anzu confirmed his question with a gesture. "Right. See you later!" Anzu guided Yugi inside, past the old trophies and photographs that lined the semi-dark corridor. "Do you know about the others? Will they come?" Yugi shrugged. "Don't know. You know how it is, no one knows what they're up to. And when Mokuba invited them, they threatened not to come to a childish party like this, just to tease him. But I think they will. Serenity will drag Joey along, and then the rest of them will show up as well."

--

They had come. All of them. Stopping for a minute in a quiet corner of the room, Anzu glanced around, smiling. Duke showed off one of his old tricks, but failed to impress anyone except perhaps Serenity. She doubted _that_ had anything to do with the stuff he did with his dices. Tristan struggled to make Yugi see there was more to life than card games and ancient mysteries, but the younger one only blushed and looked away when his gaze met Anzu's. Mokuba had occupied the sound system and played all the CD's he had brought with him, irritating his brother. Yes, even Seto had appeared, though at the moment he didn't do anything but quarrel with Joey for what had to be the trillionth time this year alone. Anzu didn't even know what their argument was about, this time. The door behind her opened and Justin slipped into the room. "Hey. Did you get lost?" He smiled, slightly embarrassed. "No, but I couldn't find the light bulbs. I had no idea what "light bulb" is in Japanese, and the cashier's English wasn't very good… here you go." He handed her the item. The brunette tried hard not to grin. "Why didn't you call?" When she didn't get an answer, she turned to face her friends and signaled Mokuba to turn down the music. "Guys, I'd like to introduce you to someone. This is Justin, he's my boss. And my boyfriend, as well."

--

The first thing he realized was the unnerving blonde in front of him whirling around to stare at Anzu.

Then it hit him. Her boyfriend.

The arm around her waist told him plainly he hadn't misheard that. Even while the thought crossed his mind, he felt irritated that he even bothered to give the fact a second thought. He had told her so many times that it was no use for her waiting for him to change his mind, if she had finally realized he meant it – well, that wasn't any of his business. Maybe the two of them could talk normally now, without risking a fight or tears on her behalf.

He was surprised to notice his hand had been balled to a fist and started to hurt with tension. What kind of an introduction was that, anyway? _My boss, and my boyfriend, as well. _Shouldn't she care more about the latter, considering it was her friends she was introducing him to? Her boss… judging by his looks, the guy might as well run a brothel.

Stop it.

He'd gone to far, and he knew it. He might think a lot of things about Anzu, but he didn't regard her as a whore. Not yet, anyway.

--

Her friends didn't seem to worry about the same things he did. "Your boss? You're working? Where?", Duke wanted to know, like the thought of someone graduating and starting work was completely alien to him. "I joined a traveling group of acrobats.", Anzu replied cheerfully, carefully hiding her concerns about what her friends might say when they heard this. "You joined a _circus_?" That was exactly what she had feared they would think. "Not a circus.", she tried to explain. "A group of dancers and acrobats, like I am one. Why shouldn't I go with them? It's fun, and it's a good start for my career, maybe a bit unconventional, but not bad. Plus, Justin is training them, so we can spend a lot of time together."

"Now, come on. What is he like?" Mai draped her legs over the sofa and looked at Anzu curiously. The younger woman let out a snort when she noticed Mai was eying Justin's athletic body. "If you must know – he knows the Kamasutra by heart and makes me have twenty-five orgasms a night. Anything else?", she answered as casually as she would have if Mai had asked her about her flight. The blonde duelist traced the irony in her words and rolled her eyes, but didn't comment it otherwise. "Good. I hope that means you're less of a _prude _now." Anzu looked upset, but tried not to. "Didn't it ever occur to you that there are other reasons to spend time with a man than _sex_?" Mai laughed, threw back her mane and gulped down the rest of that indefinable liquid inside her glass, leaving the formerly smooth and shiny surface marked with pink lipstick. "It did. But to tell you the truth, they didn't live up to my expectations." Her eyes wandered to the corner where Joey and Duke were fooling around with the drinks. "They're either kids or swine." Anzu had gotten up and wasn't really listening any more. She would gladly try to soothe Mai's lovesickness, but not when her friend was already starting to sound incoherent. Maybe her heart would heal along with the headache tomorrow, who could tell? She cried out in alarm when her right arm was suddenly jerked backwards and someone dragged her out of the room.

--

"What the hell are you trying to do, Seto? Whatever you have to tell me, couldn't you have said it _inside_?" Anzu stared at him angrily, and he had to admit that she was right. He didn't normally treat girls like that, force them to come with him and lock them into the lady's room. While he was still inside, as well. Much less girls that had a boyfriend. "Do you love him?" That hadn't come as elegant and casual as he had intended it to. Anzu frowned. "You dragged me here to ask that? I don't see how it is any of your business. But I already told you he is my boyfriend, didn't I?" The muscle at Seto's jaw tightened and twisted. "That's not an answer to my question. I wanted to know whether you love him." She grew more and more impatient. "Of course I l-" "Don't lie to me!", Seto interrupted her brutally. Suddenly Anzu noticed he was still clutching her wrist, and they were closer than even a small room like this forced them to be. She jerked her hand back out of his grasp and stepped backwards. "What kind of a question is that, anyway? Those past two years, you did everything to convince me you don't even have a _clue_ what love means, and if you have one, you don't believe in it! So why is it such a surprise to you that I finally gave up on you, and _why do you mess with my relationship_?" Yeah, why did he? Her question was justified, _too _justified, so he tried to ignore it. "I just don't like to see one of my acquaintances fucked by a slimy, perverse American, that's all." Seto Kaiba, always an answer in stock. "Perverse. You didn't even _speak_ to him so far! And you're one to talk. You know what everyone thinks we're doing in here, right?" Of course he knew that, and now that she mentioned it, he didn't even dislike the thought of it. Or the thought of her thinking about it. She, on the other hand, didn't seem to like it that much. "Would you please step aside now? I've got guests to entertain out there!", she sighed angrily and tried to push him out of her way to open the door. He didn't attempt to make it easier for her. Anzu's face showed a grimace of disgust while she squeezed past him, touching more parts of him than she had intended to. "I'm almost inclined to say you had a glass or two too much today."

When she was gone, he leaned back and closed his eyes, wondering for a moment whether she was right. _Had_ he had too much alcohol? It would have been an excuse he'd have appreciated right now. But he couldn't recall anything, except for a single glass of campaign this afternoon after one of his partners had signed the contract they'd been working on. Obviously, he responded to alcohol more strongly than he had thought, what else could have made him act like this?


	5. All Is Fair In Love And War

Damn it. Damn it. Damnitdamnitdamnit.

Seto's pragmatic side told him that repeating the same word in his mind a million times wouln't help him make his situation any better.

He ignored it.

That American was determined to start a war, he would give him war. Seto's fist collided with the opposite wall, too late he remembered it still hurt from the last time he'd tried to get rid of his anger like that. Inside that filthy bathroom he shouldn't even have entered, it had been the ladies room, for heavens sake! He'd done it anyway, and by now, he didn't even wonder why, any more. He just wondered why at his arrival, the whole thing hadn't looked at all filthy, but nice and clean, maybe a little shabby.

Well, that was the least of his problems right now.

He was used to getting what he wanted.

He wanted Anzu, and he would get her, no matter how many false princes and semi-perfect Mr. Charmings might try to stop him.

And he didn't even know why he wanted her so much!

Well, he did. But he didn't like the reasons. He liked reasons that looked well in print, reasons you could give to a business partner and sign them without hesitation. And he wasn't able to give any of that sort in this case.

He wanted Anzu to be his girl because he couldn't stand the thought that she sent anyone beside him and her little friends those pathetic Valentine's cards, the ones she insisted on designing herself instead of just buying them and putting her name on them.

He wanted her because he needed her to tell him he was an idiot every time he just realized it himself, though he would never admit it, of course.

He wanted her because she still used that stupid, much too expensive sports bag Mokuba had given her once when Kaiba Corp was giving them away to faithful customers and Anzu needed something to carry the cookies Seto's brother and she had made that day.

He wanted her because her hair smelled of apricots even if she washed them with completely neutral shampoo – he'd seen her putting her things away after their sleepover last night, after all.

Because she wasn't at all ashamed of owning a Sailormoon toilet bag and a heart-shaped key chain saying "I heard NY".

Because as always, she'd wanted to please everyone and made a special dish for every single guest at her party, though that had, of course, been too much.

Because she didn't care that everyone thought that he consumed only food that was worth at least a few hundred thousands of Yen and made him the cheese cookies she'd once brought to a school festival and sold almost entirely to him.

Because, because, because.

A thousand reasons why he wouldn't leave her to that Justin guy.

The only problem about his great plan was – there wasn't really a plan at all. There couldn't be one. Maybe he was good at measuring at once the dimensions of a business partner's greed and preparing to deal with it, so he got what he wanted in the end. He could silence people with a single glance. It didn't take him much to beat anyone – well, almost anyone – in DuelMonsters.

But this wasn't a game, and he doubted he could win the heart of a woman through a few simple moves, like he could win a game of chess. Especially when he had done everything to lose it before.

--

Right. Breathe in – and out. In. Out. Everything would go the way it ought to, she had practiced this dance long enough to be able to do it faultless even if someone woke her up at three in the morning and demanded she start at once. Justin had made sure this was true, literally. So what could go wrong? Anzu crossed the dressing room to take a last sip of water before her performance started. With a smile, she noticed the small bunch of fire-colored roses on top of her towel. She picked it up and smelled at one of the blossoms, causing a small card to tumble to the floor. With her usual absent-minded grace Anzu bent down and picked it up. "Good luck", it said, not in hand-written letters, but printed. Nothing else, no name. Behind her, the door opened and Justin came into the room. "Thanks for the flowers you sent. They're really pretty", she greeted him with a smile. Justin frowned. "Why would I send you flowers if I can give them to you myself?" On second sight, Anzu indeed spied an enormous bouquet of dark red roses behind his back, that he now handed to her. "And so small and blotchy at that." He eyed the smaller bouquet with disgust. For a moment, Anzu looked sad. _Because they're my favorites. Because I liked them ever since I was a little girl and always thought it romantic that they combine love and passion in one blossom._ She hurried to put a smile back on her face. How would Justin know? He had meant well. A little too well, maybe, looking at that bouquet he had brought her. This had to be big enough to knock out someone with it. "I guess these are from my friends, then. Thanks, anyway." She kissed him on the cheek and went out to wait for her entrance, knees shaking only slightly.

--

"Miss Mazaki?" Anzu turned around, astonished. She hadn't expected the postman to know her name already. But then, she was probably the only girl in the neighborhood that looked at all Japanese. "Yes?" "I've got a letter for you." He smiled at her friendly and handed her a strangely heavy envelope. "Thank you…", she murmured, a little confused because she had spotted the Kaiba Corp sign on the letter. If Seto or Mokuba wanted to contact her, why didn't they just send an e-mail? Anzu closed the door of Jusitin's and her small flat behind her and opened the envelope. When she reached inside, she found a plane ticket to New York City and a shiny ticked to the latest Broadway musical. What the… How did the two of them even know… Oh. She remembered mentioning the production at her party a few weeks ago, as well as her wish to see it. But she'd just been talking about it! She hadn't meant them to pay for it. She hadn't even realized anyone beside Yugi and her was still awake. Her eyes fell on the date. Tomorrow evening?? That left hardly enough time to pack a bag, if she chose to go. Which would be madness. She couldn't just leave for two days, not even for one, to be realistic. Well, they wouldn't perform again until next week, but still… there was Justin. And she had only _one_ ticket. It wasn't like she earned enough money yet to buy another one. On the other hand, an opportunity like that wouldn´t come twice. Anzu took out her cell phone and dialed Justins number. "Honey? I just got an invitation to New York, my flight leaves tomorrow." A short silence. "No, it's just one ticket. I don't know, but it has to be someone I know. Maybe one of my friends from school. I heard Jessie is dancing on Broadway now." She wasn't going to disturb his sleep by telling him the things had been sent by Kaiba Corporation. After all, he and Seto hadn't gotten along too well, and they hadn't even talked to each other yet. "Oh, come on. I'm old enough to take care of myself, and I'll be back the day after tomorrow, early in the morning." At least that was what it said on her ticket.

--

This whole affair started to be bizarre. Yes, she had been surprised to get a letter like that, and if she hadn't sort of "known" where it came from, she'd never have followed that invitation. But leaving her plane and being received by a taxi driver that evidently knew her name and carried it on a sign before him? Being dropped off by that very same driver at a small, but elegant hotel where a room had been booked in her name and finding a dress she was obviously supposed to wear waiting on her bed? That was _too_ strange. So far, she had assumed this was one of Mokuba's spontaneous ideas to make someone's day. But why would he care about her clothes? And the navy cotton dress was exactly her size, it fitted her as if it had been made for her. There was even a cream silk scarf, enamel earrings and a pendant in the shape of cornflowers to match. There was no way this was Mokuba's work. Even if he wanted to provide her a dress, he wouldn't think about accessories. But who else could have done this? Seto? In that case, he must have been much more serious about that scene at her party than she had assumed. She was relieved to see she had at least been assigned a single room. Not that she really believed all this had been planned by Seto. But you never knew. And he had the reputation of taking what he wanted, at all costs. Still, it didn't make sense. If he wanted to spend a night with her, he should be aware that she wasn't the kind of girl that just cheated on her boyfriend. And why make such a big deal about her, anyway?

All these questions made her feel dizzy as well as irritated.

Well!  
Whoever had arranged this, she would play his game, but he shouldn't feel to safe about it!

--

Just as he had thought. It was a simple dress, too simple for a lot of women probably, but on Anzu it looked just perfect. Luckily she didn't attempt to wear the scarf as a stole, but had just flung it round her neck in a pilot's manner, hastily, as if she had barely had time to dress. Underneath it he could just barely see the pendant he had chosen for her, while the earrings dangled at either side of an agreeably naturally made-up face. Seto left his car and stepped behind her, so close that her scarf almost fluttered into his face. "Good evening, Anzu." She whirled around, startled as if by a ghost, but regained her "I hate you, but you have ten seconds to explain"-expression quickly. "Seto." She spoke his name as if it wasn't quite familiar to her yet. "Happy birthday." To himself he envied her for her memory, the only birthdays he was able to keep in mind were his own and Mokuba's. "Thank you." Anzu flung the end of her scarf back over her shoulder and fixed her gaze on him. "End of small talk. What is this supposed to be?" Her arms flew up in a gesture that indicated she meant not just the ticket in her hand, but the whole situation, the theater, her clothes, the city. Seto looked back at her with a look that could almost be called innocent. "I just wanted to spend my birthday in nice company." The younger one gave a sarcastic laugh. "Oh, I see. That's why you fly around the globe and ship me in like some expensive champagne to complete your party? A girl you don't even _like_, instead of Mokuba and Roland, as usual?" Instead of answering, he offered her his arm in old fashioned manner and led her inside. Only after she had accepted it, Seto replied: "A little change every now and then does everyone some good. And didn't you tell me I needed to spend more time in company instead of locking myself into my office or the mansion?" She should have known. It just didn't pay to preach. "That doesn't mean _I_ want to be your company!" With a sour look she showed her ticket to the man at the entrance and stepped into the hall before either Seto or the porter could open the door for her, though both had intended to do so. Inside, her unwelcome companion pulled up beside her without even being out of breath, pretending they had done nothing else than conversing politely all the time. "It doesn't, but considering that you invited me to your last two parties and were head over heels in love with me not so long ago, I think I can assume you don't mind, either." This was stretching the truth a little to far. "NOT SO LONG AGO?" Anzu turned so abruptly she would have stumbled if pirouettes hadn't been part of her business and faced Seto angrily. Her voice was still low, but clearly annoyed. "May I correct you here? That was more than two years ago, I'm with another man for almost six months now and _very happy_ at it!" If she'd intended to strengthen her point by stressing the words "very happy", she hadn't achieved her goal. Seto believed her less than ever, and his expression showed it. It took a few seconds, then a smirk appeared on his face and he shrugged. "Whatever. Are you planning to spend the night here, preaching at me, or do you want to see the show?"

--

Yes, she _had_ enjoyed the show. There was no point in denying it. Nevertheless, Anzu regarded it her duty to treat Seto as coolly as possible, since he seemed to believe her company was no more than his natural right. Therefore, she didn't give him the opportunity to see more than a brief smile on her face when the lights went on again before her expression darkened once more. The only thing that betrayed her was a happy spark in her eyes she wasn't able to dismiss. Without a word she rose to her feet and went to fetch her jacket, remembering too late that she hadn't brought one and it would be windy outside. Seto had obviously thought the same, for when Anzu stepped outside, she felt the weight of a heavy cloak sinking on her shoulders, definitely not stinking of wealth, as Joey would have put it, but giving off a faint scent of coffee and expensive aftershave. Surprised, she looked up and almost forgot to glare at Seto. "Thanks." The word still came out a little cool, but Seto seemed to be content for the moment, nodded and guided her to his limousine, where Roland was already waiting for them. "I won't let you take a taxi at this time of the day, forget it", he cut off her protest and opened the door for her. "Besides, we stay at the same hotel." What a surprise, since you booked both our rooms, Anzu thought and took her seat without looking at Seto again. Her companion followed and shut the door with a thud.

--

The first thing she noticed after her feet touched the ground again was the flash of a camera blinding her for the moment, followed by a regular thunderstorm of others, who hadn't drawn the connection between the Kaiba limousine and a female occupant that quickly. Seto didn't seem to be surprised, he stepped out of the car calmly and placed one hand on her back. "Did you know about this?", she demanded to know. He urged her up a few steps in direction of the entrance, but Anzu stopped again to face him, too irritated to mind the journalists around them. Stubbornly, she stared at him and waited for an answer. "I expected it." Seto shrugged, standing a step below her and looking her into the eye on the level for once. "If you did, why didn't you just book different hotels for the two of us?" The triumphant look on Seto's face should have warned her, but a second later, she found herself pressed against him, held there by the pressure of two big, slender hands upon her back and firm, warm lips on hers. She could feel an irregular heartbeat, not sure whether it was her own or Seto's, and somehow, somewhere in the most honest part of her mind, not even caring. The only right thing to do now would have been to shove him away from her and give the press the chance to record what was probably the first snub in the life of Seto Kaiba, but all Anzu was able to do was standing there and thinking: _Why didn't you care before? Why now, Seto, why not last year? _The stupid hope that there wouldn't be a way for Justin to get a newspaper tomorrow, so he was spared this sight, arose in her. Or maybe some bigger scandal would be in the headlines by the time her boyfriend took his breakfast? Before she was able to decide why, for heaven's sake, this kiss felt so damn good, when she was in love with someone else and furious at Seto, he loosened his grip and exposed her to the cold air and the looks of the surrounding crowd. In one swift move, as if he hadn't done more than picking up a pencil from the floor, Seto took his arms back, flung his coat over his shoulder with his left hand and with the right handed her a single flower. "Because that's the way I wanted it to be", he answered the question she seemed to have asked ages ago. "Good night, Anzu." She didn't reply, but lowered her gaze to the flower he had given to her. A beautiful fleur de lis in full bloom. For a moment, she wondered why he had chosen this flower of all, but then, she abandoned that thought. It fitted him excellently, a few centuries before, he'd probably have worn it on his crest to underline his nobility. His power to get whatever he wished for. When Anzu looked up again, Seto had already vanished inside. She pressed the flower to her heart and hurried into the lobby.

--

"So this is the kind of invitation you respond to? How long has this been going on?" _How long has this been going on?_ Did he think she had had an affair with Seto, or what? How would that make sense? "Listen, Justin. I love you, and you know that. It was… nothing. Nothing at all." She couldn't blame him for not being content with an answer like that. "Nothing?" Justin threw the newspaper on the table, a disbelieving look on his face. "What exactly do you call _nothing?_ A _spontaneous_ visit to New York? With Seto Kaiba? On his birthday? Or the two of you going to the theater like a couple happily in love for the first time? Or maybe, just _maybe_ the photos of you kissing him passionately adorning the front-pages of hundreds of newspapers? Showing the hotel _in which you both spent the night?_" Anzu looked at her boyfriend helplessly. How could she ever explain things to him, so he would believe her? How could she apologize? Somehow, she doubted the simple truth would do. Still, it was her best option. She'd have to give it a try. "Look, I didn't know it was Seto who sent me the invitation. I thought it was his brother, he sometimes has strange ideas like that. And yes, I wanted to see the musical, so I went. By the time I realized that Seto was behind this, it was too late to go back. And how could I have anticipated that he would kiss me now, when he did everything to keep me at a distance for so long? I mean, before I even met you." Justin pushed her aside and made his way out of the kitchen. "That's all? Very well. If our relationship isn't even worth a proper excuse, I know what to think of your _love_." He marched into the bedroom and began to pile his clothes into a bag. Anzu watched him, horrified. "Where are you going?" "What do you think?", he spat. "I'm going to find myself another flat, since you seem to have found a better boyfriend!" Strange as it was, she didn't feel half as anxious at these words as she had before, though she realized briefly that they marked the end of her first real relationship. All she felt now was defiance. "Why would I lie to you? If I really wanted to cheat on someone, wouldn't I rather choose Seto for my boyfriend and you to have an affair with? There would be some advantages in being the girlfriend of a billionaire, you know!" Good heavens. She hadn't meant it to sound like that. She hadn't meant to blame Justin for not being as rich as Seto, or as famous. And hadn't been in love with Seto because of his wealth or his fame! But she could regret it all she wanted, the words didn't come back where they had came from. Justin stared at her in a mixture of anger and pain for some moments, then he abruptly zipped his bag shut and picked it up. "I'll see you tomorrow at training. And don't you dare to disappoint me there, too!"

* * *

_I'm no expert when it comes to flowers and what they mean, but a search on the internet provided me with some interesting input: _

_Yellow roses mean doubts and fading love, which doesn't fit here, but also jealousy. And we all know who sent them, don't we?_

_Cornflowers mean "I won't give up hope"_

_And iris "I'm going to fight for your love"_

_I've read some stories that focused a little too much on this topic, and I hope I didn't give in to the same temptation. But I figured Seto might know things like this, since he had to learn all sorts of stuff while under Gozaburo's "tuition". And maybe this stuck. _

_(Like Pride and Prejudice…? ;-)_


	6. Trials Of A Secretary

"My brother has gone crazy", the younger Kaiba announced over his daily bowl of cereals and a stack of colorful paper that on second sight proved to be the sort of tabloids that only found their way into the mansion if a member of the family was mentione

"My brother has gone crazy", the younger Kaiba announced over his daily bowl of cereals and a stack of colorful paper that on second sight proved to be the sort of tabloids that only found their way into the mansion if a member of the family was mentioned in their headlines. Roland shrugged, but didn't comment this – he was too professional, and too used to the ways of his employer and his younger brother, too. Mokuba knew he didn't have to wait for an answer and grinned. "Okay, whatever. But it's true. I mean, what did this cost him? Not that he can't afford it. But couldn't he have chosen a more subtle start at being romantic? So far, he wouldn't even touch a valentine's card." Another spoon of cornflakes came to a crunching death between his teeth. "Anzu, of all people! I should have thought Seto was more into shy, raven-haired beauties instead of matter-of-fact, brunette tomboys." He felt torn between amusement and the urge to retreat at hearing a not even near to grown up teenager talking about who would be the right match for Seto Kaiba. Especially when you considered what, according to his contract, he was to the Kaiba family. How many billionaires would discuss these matters with their bookkeeper?

But then, how many bookkeepers were at the same time driver, bodyguard, secretary and nanny? To name just a few of his tasks. "I guess your brother thought this over carefully", he said finally and proceeded to put away the breakfast utensils. "Now, may I remind you that school starts in half an hour and we'll need twenty minutes at least to get there?" Mokuba looked like he would prefer to say he mustn't, but since Seto had made it clear enough that he wasn't to argue with Roland in these things, he just pushed back his chair and went to fetch his school-bag. When he opened the door of his personal limousine, Roland was already there, polishing the glasses of his omnipresent sunglasses. Before he started the car, he handed Mokuba his sports bag. "You forgot this." This man could be creepy… After all, he'd left the kitchen after Mokuba, reached the car before him and in between somehow fetched the bag from the second floor without being so much as out of breath. "… Thanks.", was all the younger Kaiba could manage.

"Was this worth it?" Roland was probably the only one of his employees who would dare to ask Seto Kaiba that question, but considering the battle he'd just fought to get all those journalists of his boss' back, he thought himself entitled to ask. He fully agreed that it was time for his boss to start behaving like the twenty-year-old he was, but couldn't he do that a little more discreet? He was surprised to see Kaiba only smirked. "Yes. And now, I'd like to see my mail, if you please?" He stretched out his hand and Roland dropped the small stack of letters no one else could take care of into it. Normally, overly curious reporters made Seto Kaiba furious, he tended to drink even more coffee than usual and randomly fire people during times like that. But today, he had had a single cup of coffee, no more, and didn't seem to eager to get rid of his employees. There was definitely _something_ this girl meant to him.

The phone rang when he was just about to start his lunch – a sandwich, as usual, for someone had to stay at the office while Kaiba dined elsewhere. "Kaiba Corp., office of Seto Kaiba. May I help you?", he asked professionally. By now, he was so used to this that he had to check himself sometimes when he picked up the phone at home. "WHERE. IS. HE??" The female voice that hissed back to him sounded so poisonous, for a moment Roland was tempted to bring a few centimeters of air between his ear and the receiver, just in case. "Kaiba-sama is having his lunch right now. Maybe I can help you?" There was a unnerved sigh. "Listen… Roland, isn't it? My boyfriend just left me because he saw me this morning in the tabloids, kissing Seto Kaiba. Your boss is responsible for this, I damn well think he might at least tell me himself why he wants to ruin my life on all costs. Tell him that." She hung up without telling him either her name or her phone number, but he supposed there was only _one_ woman today who had a reason to be so upset by having been kissed by Kaiba lately. Also, there weren't that many people who knew this number, if someone just wanted to be obnoxious, he'd have to try convincing the call-center he was important enough to speak to Seto Kaiba.

"Anzu Mazaki called", he told his employer when he returned a few minutes later. "She took her time." More he didn't say, no "What did she want?" or "I'll call her back". Roland cleared his throat. "She said her boyfriend split up with her after seeing… the photos." Somehow it seemed to him _that_ had to be of interest to the young man. It was, obviously, but Kaiba didn't react the way Roland would have expected him to. He just smirked again. "I didn't think it would happen so soon." The brunette collected a few papers from his desk and shoved them into his suitcase. "I have to attend that meeting with NihonTec. You stay and take the messages etc., as usual." He turned to leave. It took Roland a few seconds to work up the courage to do so, but as the elder one he figured he ought to say something about this matter. Not the meeting, of course. "Do you really think _this_ is the right strategy?" Kaiba looked back at him. "Buy the company? Of course." An impatient wave of Rolands hand indicated that he knew his boss wasn't that slow at thinking. "Not NihonTec. Anzu Mazaki." For a moment, anger appeared on the face of the youth, but it quickly gave way to a resigned look. "I don't know why I ought to discuss my private matters with you, but – I want that girl, I'll get her. What's so hard to get about that?" Roland knew the feeling of being completely, utterly in love, he was married, after all, and it hadn't been an arranged marriage. But the methods… "Then why don't you just tell her? Or try meeting other nice girls, instead. The USA is not quite in the neighborhood, after all." The familiar poker face took over Kaibas complexion again. He opened the door and left. Just before closing it, he added, as an afterthought: "You never talked to her. She _is_ worth it, completely."


	7. Surviving Without You

A shower would be great now. No, she would have something to drink first. Anzu tried to ignore the glances of her fellow dancers, who had taken to whispering behind her back and scowling at her disapprovingly during the last few weeks. Would they _ever_ stop treating her like an outcast because of that kiss and the subsequent separation from Justin? True, they didn't know what had happened. And maybe it was natural for them to think she would gladly take a chance on a famous billionaire like Seto. But she hadn't done _them _any harm, for heavens sake! Neither now nor before. There was no personal reason for them to hate her. Not even a general one. Had she so much as given another hint on having an affair with Seto – not to talk about how it would concern her, and only her, if this was the case? Was it any of their business whether Justin and Anzu were a couple or not? No.

But in fact, they acted like it was. Mainly because most of them had waited for a chance to go out with their trainer for longer than the "new girl" had even been with them and they had only accepted that she was the one to get him because she obviously made him happy. No one could forgive her for leaving him like that now.

--

Anzu wrapped her body in a towel and headed for the shower, when suddenly the door opened and at least five girls began to shriek and tried to cover their bare breasts with whatever they managed to grab at the time. Justin ignored this, as well as the giggles that followed. "Anzu, there's someone on the phone for you." She glanced at him and rolled her eyes. "Whoever it is, I'll have to shower and dress before I answer _any_ calls." Her ex-boyfriend grabbed her by the wrist and dragged her out of the room. "Do you think I want to pay an enormous fee for a call overseas to Japan just because YOU can't be bothered to hurry up a little? I don't believe the hospital is going to do that just because they have to inform you of whatever it is." Anzu felt herself get pale. What could that be? Had something happened to her parents? Or Yugi? But no-one would call her in that case, his grandfather would be the choice there. "The hospital?", she asked hesitantly. "Yes. Now would you please answer that call?" He pushed her into his office and slammed the door closed. The young dancer stared at the telephone, to scared to do anything at all, for a moment. What if…? "Hello?", she asked in trembling Japanese.

--

"Justin, I need to go to Japan for a couple of days. And I will need some money for the flight. So could you pay me my fee now instead of next week, just this one time, please?" Anzu adjusted her towel and looked at Justin pleadingly. "I don't know what you want over there, but it will have to wait until we all go on holidays, what do you think you are, the Prima Donna? And the same goes for your money. It's due next week, and you will get it _next week_." Didn't he know? He _had_ answered the phone, hadn't he? Hadn't they told him? On the other hand, his Japanese was more than faulty. And the nurse's English probably wasn't that good, either. Anzu's knees felt like they had turned to pudding, so she allowed herself to sit down on one of the chairs around her before she said: "You don't understand. I wouldn't ask you for this if it wasn't really, really urgent. My cousin and her husband had an accident with their car. They're both dead, for heaven's sake!" She had to check herself or she would have gone hysteric at this point. "The only one who survived is their little son, but he's severely injured and needs a blood transfusion. I have the same blood group as he, nobody else in our family has." For a second, Justin actually looked sorry. Then he said: "Look, I'm sorry. But I guess the funeral will take a few days to organize? Of course you can go then, but not before vacation has begun. I'm sure you're not the only person in Japan with this particular blood group." Anzu leaped from her chair. "Don't pretend you're so dumb, Justin!", she raged. "You know as I do that the closer he's related to the donor, the easier his body will accept the blood! Bedides-" She had to swallow her tears, "Besides, his parents and I determined at his birth that I would be the one to take care of him, should anything happen to them. I HAVE to go there!" Justin shrugged away her arguments. "You can go in five days, and not an hour before, don't try to change my mind. You can use your tear ducts all you want, I won't be impressed by that." The young dancer stared at him, her eyes full of hate. "What is this supposed to be, Justin? Your personal little vendetta on me? Are you mad? You would have allowed any other dancer of the team to go in a case like this!" She couldn't believe he had the nerve of smiling sarcastically. "True. But I know I can rely on any other dancer of our team, whereas you have already shown there is no knowing what you will do if I let you go." A frustrated cry escaped Anzu's throat while she stormed out of the room.

--

Quite literally into the arms of Seto, who looked down at her in mild surprise. "I'm not going to complain, but what caused this rapid change of mind?" Anzu pushed him away. "Oh, go and pester someone else, you're the last person I want to see now!" Except for Justin, maybe. Hadn't it been enough that she told him to mind his own business when he called her, that she ignored his e-mails and never accepted the flowers he attempted to send to her? Did he _have _to show up the very moment she had some _really_ important problem on her mind? At least he seemed to understand that this was no ordinary situation. He _was_ Seto, after all, crazy though he behaved. "What's happened?", he asked, and was there a hint of concern in his voice? Still. "That's none of your business!", she spat and made her way over to the dressing rooms. Though she didn't know why she ought to hurry, she wouldn't be able to fly now, anyway. She didn't care about Justins leave, but she didn't have enough money to pay for a ticket right now.

The room was empty now, the only sound a distant dripping from the direction of the showers. Anzu dressed mechanically, careless about the sweat that made the fresh clothes cling to her body uncomfortably, and sat down to bury her head in her hands.

--

Quietly, almost cautious, Seto tapped at the door. When no one protested, he entered slowly and closed the door. Anzu seemed to be crying, her body shook with sobbing, but she didn't make any sound. She hadn't noticed him so far. Damn it, he wasn't exactly the person to offer consolation. He didn't know how to make anyone feel better, that hat always been _her _job. Nevertheless, he sat down beside her and placed one hand on her shoulder. "What has happened?", he repeated, a little more gentle, this time.

It wasn't easy to make out what Anzu tried to tell him through her sobbing, but he learned enough to step outside and grasp for his phone when she had finished.

--

"You will need this." Anzu lifted her head a bit and saw Seto standing in front of her, holding out her warm jacket. "Why?" She wiped her eyes. "I'm not going anywhere, after all." Seto forced her to stand up and accept the jacket. "Yes, you are. And we've got exactly…" He glanced at his watch "- half an hour left to get to the airport. Now come on. They're not going to delay those flights forever, not even if I ask them to." The young woman was too confused to protest while he led her out of the room, out of the building, and to his car. "What did you do?", she asked when he opened a door for her. He smirked. "No time to wait for Roland to drive us, now.", he decided and started the car. "I called the airport and told them to prepare my private jet, because I have to leave for Japan in half an hour. I hope you're not claustrophobic, there isn't that much room in there. But since Roland won't be coming with us, you can have his seat." Anzu was much to stunned to answer. She didn't speak, either, when they mad their way through the airport, running, since twenty-five of their thirty minutes were already over. It was Seto who spoke first, when they were already flying and he had informed Roland about his change of plans via cell phone. "Why you? You're pretty young for being responsible for this boy."

It was strange to have to talk to his back, since she was sitting behind him, but it made the whole thing easier, in a way. At least that way he couldn't see the tear that rolled down her cheek now. She suppressed the following and answered instead. "Chihiro – that's my cousin – was something like a big sister to me. I told her everything I couldn't tell my parents. Well… anyway, her husband is from Europe. _Was_ from Europe, I guess I should say. They married in a Christian ceremony and had their son christened. And Chihiro asked me to become her son's godmother." She cleared her throat. "Of course, his grand-parents could take care of him for now, but Chihiros mother, my aunt, was several years older than my mother and died some years ago, as well as her husband. The parents of Chihiros husband, of course, are living in Europe, and by now they're too old to come to Japan on such short notice. So they called me when… it happened." Anzu sighed. "I really don't know what to do. I mean, Kaito knows me, at least I hope so, since I haven't seen him for a few months, and we always got along fine, but I don't know how to substitute his parents."

Thank god Seto didn't say anything for the moment.

--

She looked tired when she left the hospital room again, awfully tired. Seto suppressed the urge to take her into his arms, but to his surprise she stepped over and leaned to his shoulder, as if looking for some consolation he couldn't give her, no one could give her. "He doesn't know what happened", she whispered. "He's in there, sleeping most of the time, and doesn't even know his parents are dead. He woke up for a moment when they did this transfusion thing, and of course he wanted to know where they are." Her last reserves of power seemed to run out and she collapsed on one of the chairs lined up along the wall. Seto chose the one beside her, torn between pain on seeing her so utterly sad and exhausted, and a strange, vague feeling of happiness at being the one she confided in. He could only hope she didn't notice his happiness and misinterpret it, now that she fixed her eyes on him, wet with tears as they were. But she didn't seem to think anything like this, all she said was: "Thank you." He shook his head slightly. "I know what it is like. Feeling responsible for someone, I mean." Mokuba's face appeared in his mind, as it had been back when they lost their father in a way very similar to this accident. His brother had been five then. The boy in there was even younger, four years old. The memory faded somewhat and he looked at Anzu. _Yes, _he thought, _and I know what it is like to want something desperately if you can't have it, too. _For a few seconds a smile crossed Anzu's face and she looked at him at the same time tender and admiringly. Was that what it had been like when she was still in love with him, he wondered? How could he have squandered that? The thought hit him painfully, but at the same time Anzu's smile faded away and she looked nothing but tired anymore. "Could you… would you mind to give me a lift to my parents' house?", she asked. "I'd take a taxi, but we left in such a hurry I didn't even take enough money to pay the driver, I fear." Seto got to his feet and held out a hand for her, she looked like she might need something to hold on to if she wanted to move from that spot. "Of course. Come on." She accepted his help in getting up, but didn't release his hand immediately. Only a few meters down the hallway she seemed to realize what she was doing and that they were not alone, and she withdrew hastily, not without blushing a little. She could guess what the people around them would make of this, after all, they had surely wondered already why Seto Kaiba, of all people, was here, of all places, and with her, of all possible companions.

--

He seemed to be everywhere at once. If Anzu visited her little cousin at the hospital, Seto dropped by to make sure she was well. In the evenings, he called to ask about Kaito's progress. And several days later, standing at Chihiro's grave, Anzu didn't lean to her mother's shoulder to cry – who was hanging at Anzu's father's shoulder herself – but Seto's.

There were more rumors than facts; in the beginning, some tabloids had even seemed to hope the tragic loss that united the two of them had something to do with the death of one of their famous friends. And when this rumor had been refuted, soon there were others, sprouting like mushrooms from the fertile ground of Domino's tabloid press. Anzu didn't care. She barely noticed if her face, puffy from crying, once again adorned the front pages side by side with Seto's. The photos lost their appeal soon anyway – since they never showed any definite sign of being more then friends, Anzu and Seto became everyday matter after a few weeks. All she knew was Seto's company made her feel better, at least a little, that she seemed to be stronger and more confident when he held her, and as soon as she had calmed down a little, she realized what this meant, too. Seto didn't work less, after all. He spent his little free time on her, worked at night if she needed him at daytime. And she was more than thankful for this, much, much more. But wasn't it just understandable she wanted a shoulder to lean on in times like this?

--

"What are your plans now?" Anzu had spent the last half hour on tearing apart handkerchiefs. She took her time before she answered Seto's question. "I'll have to look for a job, I guess." Well, he had worked out that on his own. "I know. But where? Here, in Domino? Or back in the USA?" There were sitting at the table in Anzu's parents' kitchen, who had long ceased to be surprised if their daughter received a famous visitor like this. "Don't be ridiculous." Anzu filled her cup with hot chocolate from a pot on the hearth. "Do you think I'll take Kaito away from his friends and the places he knows, to a country where he'd have to learn a whole new language, after all he went through? Of course we'll stay. I will find a place to stay for him and myself, we can't live in this house forever." Seto thought this over. Not merely calculating, as he would have done some weeks before, whether this might be a chance to get her for himself. The time they had spent together had changed him, his way of thinking about her. Oh, he still thought she was the only one who could make him happy, but there was more than desire, more than sheer longing about it now. He wanted to be with her, to protect her, help her with that new life ahead of her, yes, and he felt deep respect for her because she put up with her new role, if not exactly with superior ease, but with determination and a will to succeed. He had to admit what he had hesitated to say so far: He loved Anzu, loved her as he had never thought he could love a woman. "Why don't you move in with us?", he asked casually, as if he had merely offered to give her a lift to the hospital. Anzu's head shot up and she fixed her eyes on him suspiciously. "What do you mean?" Seto shrugged uneasily. "Kaito and you. The mansion has more rooms than Mokuba and I will ever be able to occupy. You wouldn't have to see anyone, if you don't want to. The guest rooms are in the main wing, you could have two of them, but there's also a little flat in one of the side wings. My adoptive father's wife lived there after they… well, I don't know exactly, but I guess they lost interest in each other and didn't want to risk the scandal of a divorce. Anyway, I could have it cleaned out and you and Kaito could live there. There's a little kitchen, a bathroom, even a separate entrance door. We would be… neighbors. And you wouldn't have to worry about the rent." Anzu stared at him disbelievingly. "Seto, you're crazy. I can't accept an offer like that." He smirked a little. If she answered like that, she couldn't have any serious objections. "Of course you can. No one needs these rooms. But _you_ need a place for Kaito and yourself, and you don't have a job so far. So how are you going to pay for one?" She had to see he was right. "Anzu, I'm not expecting anything in return, if that is what you think. I want to help you. Because I… seem to like you." For the first time in weeks a little smile appeared on Anzu's face. "Seto Kaiba, I didn't know you could say something like that. I thought your genes forbid it. Did you take a training course?" When he looked at her blankly, she added: "In how to tell someone you like him, I mean." Still, he didn't answer, he waited for her response. Anzu let him wait, full ten minutes. "Okay, well, I _will_ move in. As soon as Kaito is ready to leave the hospital, but don't you dare to trouble your employees. I can dust myself."


	8. Moving In

"Good morning, young lady."

Oh, well. Somehow, Anzu doubted that she looked very much like a "young lady", but Roland was probably used to address young women that way.

"Um – good morning. Did I miss anything?" Politely, she made way for him to step into the house, though she felt slightly ridiculous in her pajamas with the Kuriboh print. Roland ignored the invitation as well as the pajamas.

"Kaiba-sama ordered me to show you the mansion and to help you with your trunks.", he explained. What? Oh. Right. She had promised "Kaiba-sama" to move in with him and his brother. That had been only yesterday, and she had already managed to forget it. Had she been half asleep yet? "I'm sorry, I didn't recall that." She smiled at Roland sheepishly. "Please, could you… wait a moment? I'll just dress and pack my trunk, then I'll be back. Would you… like to wait in the living room?" Luckily, almost all her possessions were still in the boxes in which they had been brought from America. "Thank you.", Roland replied politely, "But I will wait outside in the car. Please let me know if you need any help with your boxes."

What a strange man. How could anyone be so nice and so distant at the same time?

Anzu had clearly underestimated the time she would need to pack her possessions. Sure, she had washed and dressed soon enough, but during the last few weeks, she realized, she had scattered more things in her room than she could just throw into a bag now. So first she had to pack a little suitcase containing her clothes and a few books she was reading or planned to read soon, then she took down her photos from their places on the wall. A few snapshots of her and her father or mother on some fair or festival, when she had been about five years old. Pictures taken at some of the minor dancing competitions she had won while still at school. A family photo. Others showing Yugi, Joey, Tristan and the rest of her friends. Memories of a trip they had made with their class. Now that she tried to store all of this in a big handbag, she noticed for the first time what an enormous number of photographs she had kept to remind her of the people she loved. And not a single one she was able to leave behind. Images of Chihiro were among them, one of her in her school uniform, another showing her in her wedding dress, her husband at her side, and a third where she was holding her tiny son only a few days after Kaito had been born. Even the Kaiba brothers were represented on one, Mokuba showing a broad grin and wearing his very best striped shirt, Seto looking as aloof and cold as ever. She hesitated to put this frame away, mainly because it seemed to remind her of something, but she couldn't quite tell what it was… of course! Hastily she put down her bag and the picture she was holding and lifted the mattress from her bed. Gleaming in the light that was now falling upon it was a glossy photograph of Seto. She had never shown this to anyone after she had taken it on their last class trip – Seto would have been furious to know it existed, and her friends would only have teased her about it endlessly. Anzu took it from its hiding place and sat down upon her bed to study it more carefully. It didn't show much more than Seto's face, almost life-sized on the paper, showing a relaxed look and even, if one paid attention to it, a ever-so-slight smile playing in the corners of his mouth. The only thing that wasn't visible was the eyes, hidden by his closed eyelids. Goodness, she had been close enough for the tiny arteries in them to be visible on the image. Torn between amusement and some strange nostalgic feeling, she let her fingers run across Seto's face. She had probably forgot it under her mattress when she was leaving for America, still furious about his cold snub.

Anzu decided to put it into a frame and take it with her – after all, Seto would not be angry about it any more, she would be far too busy to get involved in any sentimental affairs, and hey, they were friends. It was a nice picture, nothing more.

After she had packed everything she wanted to take with her and decided which boxes could stay here for now – there weren't that many anyway – her glance fell upon her old stuffed animals, lined up on a shelf, full of dust, but otherwise exactly as they had always been. She would take one with her for Kaito – he would have his own, of course, but another companion to see him through this hard period wouldn't hurt. Her first thought was the raspberry-colored bear someone had given her for her very first birthday, but Anzu just couldn't make up her mind to give it away. She would take it anyway, she decided, and stuffed it into her bag. What now? There was a live-sized boa constrictor, but Anzu had never liked it herself and was sure it would more disturb Kaito than soothe him. Others were to obviously used, some even torn, she couldn't use those for a gift. That left… yes, the little squirrel would be just fine. Quickly, Anzu brushed away the dust and packed this last item, then she was done.

--

When the limousine rolled into the graveled driveway, Anzu noticed briefly that all those pebbles had been carefully evened with a rake. And she had always assumed that to be a cliché! The stone-gray mansion made her shiver a little, Gozaburo had clearly wanted his visitors to think of an English manor-house at beholding the giant building, but Anzu just felt intimidated and very, very small. Who could tell whether this hadn't been another reason for Seto's stepfather to have his residence built this way? The dancer wondered whether he had also chosen the cheerful and somehow out-of-place looking cherry trees, or whether they had been planted more recently. Roland, in the meantime, had ordered someone to take her things into the house and now approached her again. "I think it would be best to start with a little tour around the house, so you know where you can find everything. Mr. Kaiba has informed me that you will be living in one of the side wings, but he wishes you to be introduced to the rest of the house nevertheless." His voice made it clear that this was neither an offer nor a question, however polite he might express it. Anzu tried to protest anyway, by reminding him she didn't plan to use any of the main rooms of the mansion, but Seto's secretary only smiled – one could almost have called it disbelievingly, if he hadn't had that interminable air of professionalism about him. Without further comment he turned and walked over to the entrance door. Anzu followed when she realized her only option besides that was to stay and count the pebbles.

--

Strangely, having overcome her uneasiness at being introduced to the housekeeper as the "new household member", she almost began to enjoy her personal tour around the Kaiba manor. The ground floor was not of much interest, Roland explained, since it contained almost exclusively rooms that were frequented by the employees alone, so after a brief stop at the kitchen, they decended to the basement. Anzu's eyes widened when she realized that not only did the Kaiba family have their own whirlpool and swimming-pool down here, but the numerous rooms featured a complete wellness oasis, containing a massage parlor, sauna, winter garden and other relaxation areas.

"Don't tell me they also have their own massagers", she stammered somewhat disbelievingly. How could two persons occupy a house like that? And she had only seen two floors so far. Roland showed a slight smirk. "No, but we can order trained masseurs from one of the town's clubs, if there is a need. There rarely is, the basement is almost never used these days, except for one room." He beckoned Anzu to follow him and opened the door to what turned out to be a small fitness room. From where she stood, the brunette could see a punching bag, a belt conveyor, some small weights and even two bamboo swords hanging upon the wall. She felt bewildered, none of the Kaiba brothers seemed to her the kind of person who would use devices like this, but she didn't dare to ask. And, after all, there was not really a need to. She had met Mokuba at the swimming pool of KaibaLand frequently enough during her High School years, and she doubted that he working out more nowadays than he had been then.

--

The tour seemed to take hours, Anzu could only hope that her face didn't look too bored as she looked at the umpteenth guest room, living room or music chamber. Finally, to her utter relieve, Roland announced: "This is the last room we are going to visit, Kaiba-sama's study, in case you should ever need to speak to him." He opened a door, but didn't enter, so Anzu just glanced into the elegant, but – at least compared to some of the ones they had just visited – rather plain room. "I should advise you not to enter this room without permission, at least for the time being." He shot her a mysterious glance. For the time being? How long did he think she was going to stay? No longer than a year, Anzu supposed, she was going to look for a job and a new home for herself and Kaito as soon as possible. "If you would care to follow me one last time? I will accompany you to the flat you are going to live in."

Anzu was glad when she was finally able to let herself sink onto one of the chairs in the small, but, for her needs, more than sufficient kitchen and rest her head on the tabletop. She felt exactly the way she had when her parents had made her go hiking with them back when she was in primary school. Like the sole of her feet had fallen off and she was walking on bare bones. That just couldn't be the fault of this house alone, she thought, and immediately pledged to go to sleep as soon as possible tonight.

Finally, she opened her eyes again and gazed around the room. Not a single piece of furniture seemed to be too fancy, but all of them were definitely of the best quality available. The small window that faced into the park at the back of the house was lined with curtains in a sunny, yellow tone that immediately made her think of Mokuba's most cheerful grin. She smiled and sat up, noticing but now that not only was there a freshly cut cherry-twig in a vase upon the table, but there were also two notes waiting for her beside it. She picked up the first one, written in hasty, round letters and with an emerald green pen.

_Hey Anzu! _

_Sorry I can't be there to welcome you, _

_Seto would kill me if I skipped school for that. :( _

_Hope to see you soon, it will be so nice to have_

_You as a neighbor! _

_Mokuba_

The second one, a simple, but expensive-looking note card, carrying an inscription in Seto's clear, fluid handwriting, read:

_Welcome at our home, Anzu. _

_I hope you will make this your home, too, as well as Kaito, of course, as soon as he has arrived. _

_If you need any help at making yourself comfortable, Roland or the butler will assist you. _

_Please let me know in case you want to break through any walls, otherwise, you may do whatever you like in here. _

_Seto_

* * *

Well, Yes... this is it. This is the chapter that took me so long to translate. Not because it is so very long or complicated, obviously, but because I never could bring myself to work on it. To be honest, I don´t like the thing very much... it is better now, because I severely abridged it and cut some ultra-fangirlyish paragraphs about the mansion, though. I hope you´re not too deterred... Two chapters now, then I´m done with this and will start uploading _Phantom Powers_, the sequel.

And no, it won´t be equally bad, I hope. :D At least it has two advantages: I originally wrote it in English, which I hope will make for a more fluent reading experience, and I already planned it start to finish, so there won´t be any sudden car accidents or plane crashes.


	9. Patchwork

_This is the second part of the original chapter eight, which I divided because it was so long.  
To be honest, I like the second part much, much more, in fact, I´m quite proud of how it turned out.  
Enjoy! And if you like it or have any criticism, I would appreciate your comments. :-)_

* * *

"Anzu, when will Mom and Dad come back?"  
Had she ever promised such a thing? Anzu prayed that she hadn't already lost her credibility through such a foolish comment, but she didn't remember anything like it.

"They're dead, aren't they?"

Ouch. Who had told him that? Certainly not her. But somehow, Anzu was glad she didn't have to break the news to him. And was it really a surprise that he should know? He had been in that car, too, after all. Sighing, she sat down on one the benches they had just passed and urged Kaito to join her.

"Yes. They're dead."

There was no use in denying it. Kaito showed no sign of having heard her confirmation, but his little body stiffened and his face was much too stonily resigned for a four-year-old.

"Do I live with you now?"  
It seemed strange that he should assume that, they hadn't seen very much of each other during the last few years, after all.

"Yes, that is, we're both going to live with a friend of mine, to be precise. But never mind, there will be a place for just the two of us, and we will make ourselves as nice a home as possible, I promise." In a stupid attempt to console him, Anzu put her arms round the tiny body and pulled Kaito towards her chest. She could feel him swallow something, but when she finally released him again, his face was just as dry as it had been before, he hadn't cried a single tear. Brave little man, but he would have to cry some time. Anzu smiled and put out a hand for him. "Come on, lets go and get your things, then we can visit our new home."

--

The two of them looked at their day's work contentedly. They had arranged most of Kaito's furniture in the room, so it was now comfortably filled with familiar items. The southern wall was occupied by Kaito's small bed and a chest holding his clothes, while Anzu had moved the bed that had already been in the room to another wall and placed a nightstand beside it. Opposite of that was the wardrobe, also inherited from the woman who had lived here before, and several shelves on which they had placed Kaito's toys and books. The desk he had been given by his father, who could barely wait until his son went to school, had been placed at the fourth wall, and some curtains printed with giraffes had, with the help of a ladder they borrowed from their landlords, been draped into a sort of screen over the boy's bed, so he could close them and obtain some privacy if he wanted to. The only means of decoration he had brought with him were a brightly colored lamp, a big, framed photo of himself and his parents and some stuffed animals, all of which were now placed at the head end of his bed. Anzu, however, had decorated most of the not yet covered walls with her photos, which gave the little room an almost stuffed appearance. None of them cared; they were both quite happy with the cozy air of their new home. Outside, the sun had went down a considerable time ago, but they hadn't had any time to look out of the window since they had finished their hastily prepared supper.

"I think you should go to bed now", Anzu announced finally. "After all, you're supposed to go to kindergarten tomorrow, you do want to see your friends again, don't you?" Kaito's face fell as he remembered suddenly that this was not just a nice game he was playing with Anzu, this was his new life and he was here for some very specific reasons. He hesitated at first, but nodded. So Anzu waited until he had changed into his nightclothes and brushed his teeth, then she put him to bed and read for a while from one of the books they had brought from his old room. "Good night, little fellow", she said afterwards and then, as an afterthought, bent down to kiss him on the forehead. She closed the curtains and glanced at the clock, which announced it was only nine o'clock – late for Kaito, especially after he had worked so hard today, but not late enough yet for herself to go to bed as well. The small living room with the attached kitchen seemed suddenly lonely and empty, she hadn't realized how much she had become used to company during the months she had lived with her parents again. But maybe something to do would make her feel less lonely. She would go and revisit the living room in the main tract, after all, Roland wouldn't have told her where to find it if she was not allowed to go there, but she didn't remember it very well.

--

The room was not empty, as she had expected. Curled up in the puddle of light that a single lamp cast upon the sofa, sat Seto. He was reading and didn't appear to notice her at first; Anzu's first impulse was to leave it at that and quietly retreat to her own flat, but she changed her mind and lightly tapped her fingers against the door. The sound was enough to make him raise his head, but it took him a few seconds to fix his gaze upon her. As soon as he had, Seto smiled, placed his feet upon the floor to arrange himself in a more respectable position and made a gesture that invited Anzu to join him. She let herself sink into the armchair opposite of him. "I didn't mean to disturb you… I just… I didn't want to stay alone in the flat…", she tried to explain, although Seto didn't really seem like he was waiting for an explanation. "Would you like to drink something?", he asked instead and offered her the already open bottle of wine. Anzu shrugged, but smiled. "Why not?" She got to her feet again and fetched herself a glass from one of the cupboards, where she had located them by their reflections. Seto filled it to about half it's capacity and then regained his resting position, after he seemed to have decided that she wouldn't mind. His book had been closed and placed upon the table. "Kaito is here?", he asked with interest, but not like he expected her to deny it. Anzu nodded. "He's sleeping. He was rather exhausted, after all, he's been working all day, finding places to put his possessions and helping me to arrange the room." The smile on Seto's face seemed oddly nostalgic, she wasn't really sure whether he was thinking of Kaito or of the boy Mokuba had once been. After all, he knew the position she was in only too well. But Anzu was too tired now to think about the odd ways in which one could be made a mother or father long before the right time had come. Weren't they? Seto had been a substitute father for Mokuba for more than ten years now, and Anzu was still relatively new to the task, but both of them had to put up with the same kind of responsibility.

"Please, tell me about the woman who owned the flat", she asked, finally. Seto raised his head again and looked more surprised than he had the whole evening. "Masako?" He took a sip from his glass and stared at the ruby lights dancing in it. "She was… my stepmother, you could say, but I never met her. I don't even know what happened to her, maybe she was ill or committed suicide, although if she did, Gozaburo did a very good job at covering up the facts. It's even possible that she's still alive, living somewhere without us knowing it, but I don't think she is. She would have been entitled to claim her share of Gozaburo's fortune after he died, and she never did." He paused and took another sip of wine while he looked at Anzu. "All I know is that she must have disappeared some time before Mokuba and I were adopted by Gozaburo, but none of the employees could tell me when and how. Maybe he fired all that would have known. I did find out that she must have been a beauty when she was still young, and that somehow Gozaburo coaxed her into marrying him, though I really can't imagine him charming anyone. They were married a few years, had a son, and that was it. I know that Gozaburo always wished to be seen as a gentleman, but he never was, at home no more than at work. For all I know, she had that flat arranged when she was fed up with his unfaithfulness, and who could blame her? If he treated her as he did us, she got more than her share of beatings. There were one or two old pictures of her in the house, but either they have been thrown out or are stored somewhere in the attic, I have no idea." He stifled a yawn. "Why do you want to know that?" Anzu didn't really know that herself, so she just shrugged and emptied the last bit of her wine. "It's strange to sit here together, don't you think?" Strange, but I like it, she added silently. It was so completely different from all their other encounters, be it before her time in America, during that, or afterwards. Before, they had been loose friends, had talked and quarreled about things of no particular importance, and from time to time, Anzu had allowed herself to stare at Seto in the way girls sometimes do in their lovesick fancies. While she had been in New York, they had occasionally met, but at first, Anzu had been too heartbroken and Seto to cautious to really build up something like a friendship, and later they had only played with each other, not knowing how to deal with their strange relationship. And afterwards? Afterwards, Anzu had tried to make sense of all the shattered pieces that had once been her life and career, and Seto had tried to help her. None of them had ever paused to think about what they had become to each other.

Now they did think about it, each of them in private, but weren't able to find an answer to it. "There IS a name for what we are now, you know", Seto announced finally, in that slightly gruff tone that one could mistake for annoyance, but Anzu had learned to take for insecurity. She looked at him in surprise. So he had thought about the same thing? "What kind of a name?", she wanted to know. He closed his eyes.

"Patchwork family."


	10. Recreation

_Some little clarification before we start… In Germany, which is the cultural background upon which I base most of my ideas, the word "Liebesapfel", meaning "love apple" is used for an apple coated with bright red candy, a kind of sweet commonly sold at fairs and the like. In this chapter, I use the world "love apple" in this sense, although I am a little confused now because my looking it up in the online dictionary suggested that this is an old word for tomato. :D The dictionary also suggested using the word "candy apple", but doing so would have crippled some of the meaning, so forgive me for the small inaccuracy. :)_

* * *

Much later, Anzu had been asleep for some hours already, she heard a sound that woke her up. At first, she was not sure what it was, and sat up sleepily, trying to pin it down to some direction. When her glance fell upon the giraffes on the curtains of Kaito's bed, it hit her: Kaito was crying. For a moment she hesitated, feeling helpless. She _should_ go and try to comfort him, but, for heaven's sake, she didn't have much experience with children, and what comfort could there be for him? Cautiously, she slipped out beneath her blanket and kneeled down beside Kaito's bed. One hand raised to push aside the fabric, she looked down on a wet, swollen face full of hope that vanished as soon as Kaito realized who she was. Anzu's stomach lurched. _Sorry, Kaito. I'm not your mother, and her death has not been a bad dream. _She tried to stroke his face, not because she thought this would help him, just to do something, anything. Anything was better than just sit here and do nothing. But Kaito only turned away and sobbed into his pillow once more. Of course. Anzu cursed herself. She felt incompetent, and worse, cruel. Maybe he had really thought his mother or father had come to shoo away his bad dreams, but it had only been her. That was even worse than crying yourself to sleep, to see a foolish glimmer of hope and have it crushed the next moment by some insensitive, stupid cow like her. She rose to her feet and went back to bed, feeling nothing but bitterness for her own actions and pity for Kaito. She turned her face to look at the wall, but she couldn't ignore the sobbing coming from his bed, she didn't even want it. _Let this be your punishment, Anzu. How could you ever think of replacing Kaito's parents? _But had she had another chance? Had Kaito had another chance? Hardly, moving in with her parents would not have been any better, and going to an orphanage? She did not know much about those places, but if it was any indication that Seto had been willing give himself and his beloved brother to a man like Gozaburo just to get away from there, it had to be much, much worse. A slight tapping noise on the floor made her turn around. There, looking even smaller than usual in the T-Shirt of his father that he used as a nightdress, clutching a worn-out stuffed lion, stood Kaito.

"May I sleep in you bed?"

--

There was a knock at the door when Anzu was just preparing the table for their breakfast. She had not woken Kaito yet, after all, she did not know how long it had taken him to get back to sleep during the night, but he had not yet been asleep when she had finally drifted off, holding him close, but not being able to provide the comforting scent of his mother or the words his father would have used to calm him down.

Her early visitor turned out to be Seto, who passed her a thick envelope. "Your parents sent you this", he said. "It must have arrived at their house for you." No _Good morning, Anzu_, no _How are you?_. But this was Seto, after all. The fact that he had not sent Roland or another employee, but had come himself to deliver her mail revealed enough to Anzu to make her hide a smile and step aside to let him in. "Thank you", she said, meaning not only the envelope but also his concern about her. She glanced at the address. The Youth Welfare Office. Of course. Had she thought she could just take Kaito in and no-one would have any questions? She could just hope that she would be allowed to care for her, but one depressing fact that she had been putting off during the last days came back to her now: She didn't have a job anymore. And although her savings were enough to support both of them for a while, now that she didn't have to worry about rent, she was not sure whether that would convince the authorities.

Then she remembered that Seto was still waiting for her to say something, since she had already beckoned him inside. "… take a seat. Would you like a cup of coffee?", she asked finally. She took the coffee pot out of the machine and waved it at Seto questioningly, who didn't answer, but finally sat down and nodded. It was only when Anzu had placed a brightly colored, steaming mug in front of both of them and sat down opposite him that Seto began to fiddle with his unused knife and finally gestured at the letter. "Maybe you should open it. You will need help." It was not a question, it was an offer. And who would be of more help than Seto? He had been even younger than Anzu, his position even more questionable than hers, when he had to acquire the right to care for his brother. Anzu sighed and opened the envelope with her knife, then took out the papers and skimmed over the first page. "Looks like I have to provide proof of my current lodging. That means I'll probably need a contract or something…" The brunette youth nodded as if she had merely confirmed something that he had already made a mental note about. His look told her that he was waiting for her to say something else, but Anzu remained silent. "You will need a job, as well."

That was not what Seto had planned to say. What he had wanted to say was: I could pay for both of you, that would be no problem. All she would have needed, then, would be a signature of his. What could anyone have to say against this as long as Kaito was well cared for? He also would have liked to add that he wouldn't mind, that he would like to help. And he would not have said, but meant, that he would always think like that, even if she never made up her mind and said what he hoped she would say, if she never learned to return his feelings for her and one day found another boyfriend. He would not try to force her away from him the way he had tried with Justin… not any more. But he knew that even so, Anzu would never accept an offer like that. She was too proud to accept gifts like that. The former dancer had placed the letter beside her plate and got up to fetch the now thoroughly toasted bread and place it in a basket. "I know. I will. But this should be none of your business…" Her hands hastily searched for another occupation as soon as the first one was finished. Seto strode over to her, but the hand he extended never came to rest on her shoulder. Before he could even so much as brush her T-Shirt, Anzu made a well-placed or maybe only accidental step to one side and Seto's hand closed over thin air. He opened his mouth, but Anzu did not allow him to say anything. "I don't want it, okay? Whatever it is, a job in your company or at KaibaLand – you've already done more than enough for Kaito and me. I am grateful for that, believe me, but it's time for both of us to remember what should be our real concerns."

Our real concerns.

She was right, in a way. But there was this odd, irrational pain at her words, and the feeling that Anzu _was_ one of his real concerns. That he wanted her to be.

"Well." Seto straightened almost invisibly and turned to open the door. "If you should decide that a Sunday afternoon with Mokuba and me at KaibaLand would not distract Kaito and you from your _real concerns_ too much, let me know. I will be there in the morning to run some routine checks, and I thought we might spend the rest of the day introducing Kaito to the park."

The door closed and left Anzu with nothing more than the feeling that she had wanted the right thing, and done the wrong.

--

"See you later, kiddo." Anzu smiled encouragingly and urged Kaito to join his peers. He hugged her again, but finally, there was nothing else for him to do and he took a hesitating step in direction of the sand box. There were no other children playing there at the moment, and Anzu suspected that this was precisely the reason why he had chosen it. She looked at the kindergarten teacher helplessly, but the woman only shrugged and didn't look much more confident about what to do now. "I don't have much experience with orphans", she admitted. "I guess we will have to wait and see how he behaves. In time, he will certainly return to his friends." Anzu tried to smile at her politely, but she couldn't help to think that this woman sounded like the care for an orphan was just something she had never yet had the opportunity to try and was looking forward to, like a trip to Italy. Still, she probably meant to cheer her up. "Well… I think it is important for him to see some places and people he knows. I hope that will help him… to come to turn with his new life." Both of them didn't really know what more to say. "I guess I'd better go now."

--

At the end of the week, Anzu was convinced that she would never succeed at this. Five nights spent trying to comfort a crying Kaito and usually eventually break into tears herself, the words of his kindergarten teacher telling her that Kaito still did not mingle with his former friends and spent hours finding dead beetles and bumblebees and digging graves for them that he would later decorate with flowers and pebbles, and a hysterical breakdown at his parents' grave, where she had taken him in the assumption that his building graves was a sign that places like that would help him accept the truth, were too much even for Anzu's usually inexhaustible optimism. In addition, she had not seen Seto for several days now and felt unnerved at realizing how much that added to her general depression. Most of her friends and both of her parents had visited her by now, most of them finally suggesting at seeing Anzu's obvious exhaustion that she might yet bring Kaito to an orphanage, that she could still visit him there, but all of them had received the same, simple answer: "No." She was usually too tired to say more about the matter, but it was not necessary anyway. "I didn't expect you to say yes", Yugi confessed. "If I can help you at all, call me anytime, okay?"

By Saturday, Anzu felt too annoyed to meet any of them, in spite of her knowledge that everyone had meant to help her. Finally, she accepted Mokuba's offer to come over to their flat and help her with the adoption papers she had to fill in, because she was sure that _he_ would never dream of suggesting an orphanage for Kaito, he had made it clear that he thought Kaito was lucky to have someone like her. A lot of children, he had added in a voice so small Anzu had to strain her ears to pick up what he was saying, did not have any relatives who cared enough to spare them the destiny of growing up at an orphanage. That had made both of them feel too awkward to speak at all for several minutes, and when Mokuba finally cleared his throat to speak again, he seemed determined to find a more neutral topic. "You are coming with us tomorrow, aren't you?"

Tomorrow? Oh, yes. Sunday. _KaibaLand_. Anzu murmured something that might have meant yes, but might have meant no just as well, and was probably just a sign of exhaustion. "Anzu, I'm talking to you."

She signed the last form and pushed it aside. "I know. I'm not sure yet… I thought I'd take Kaito to the graveyard once more, if he wants to go, but he hasn't said anything about that yet. I think he's trying to forget that all that's left of his parents is buried beneath several inches of soil. Maybe I should let him."

Mokuba nodded. "You should. The sooner, the better."  
The brunette looked at him questioningly.  
"Well, I don't know about Kaito, but _I _felt much better when I came to see my parents' grave as nothing more than a place to remember them… one of many."

Anzu had not even known that the Kaiba brothers knew where their parents were buried, somehow, she had always assumed that this knowledge had been lost along with their last name, but she should have known better, considering Seto's memory. "Where…?", she began, but checked herself when she realized that this was not a question she was entitled to ask. "Sorry. I know, this is none of my business." Mokuba just shrugged.

"As long as you don't run an tell the press… Seto's trying to keep at least that a secret, we don't want their grave to adorn every front page of Domino, and you know how keen everyone is to hear about the _famous _Kaiba brothers' _mysterious and sad _childhood."

And not only their childhood, as Anzu knew.

"So they're buried here, in Domino?"

Mokuba nodded and tried to look as casual as possible while he gathered the papers.

"Not that far away from your cousin and her husband. We passed them… a few days ago." So that was why he had stayed behind. Anzu had assumed that he'd wanted to leave them some time alone with their relatives, since he had never known Chihiro and her husband, but she had been wrong, obviously.

"Would you… show me the place, next time we go there?"

--

Seto did not like to admit it, but there were times when he didn't like to be at KaibaLand. This park had long ceased to belong to Mokuba and him, it belonged to the masses that swept through it, and as an entrepreneur he should have been delighted about that. As a brother who would, from time to time, like to take Mokuba here for a well-deserved holiday, he hated the way every time they stepped through the park gate they became prey for a bunch of sharks eager to stare at them and satisfy their curiosity. Everyone seemed to want something from him, be it a photo, an answer or just his bare attention. This time, the murmur seemed particularly excited, and every time someone looked at him, the next moment they looked at Kaito and speculations began to form. He would have liked to spare that to the boy, but his power had been exhausted at silencing the public voices, namely the press. Even he had not been able to suppress the rumors of his having a child that so far no one had known of, that Kaito showed clearly the Kaiba-genes of black hair and dark blue eyes visible in Mokuba, though much paler in Seto... Kaiba-genes! Even if it hadn't been so ridiculous to call Mokuba's and his physical appearance the result of "Kaiba-genes", black hair was not exactly rare for a Japanese – and while blue eyes might be, they were easily explained through his fathers origins. What made Seto feel furious every time he was confronted with those speculations was not so much the part about him hiding his own son, outrageous as that would have been, but the obvious stupidity they revealed. Had anyone really wanted to know about Kaito's parents, it would have been easy enough to dig up his birth certificate, and, if necessary, those of his parents, too, but no one cared to even try that. Instead, they preferred to give the boy a hard time at figuring out why everyone suddenly thought he was the son of his godmother and someone he only knew for a few weeks now.

At first hearing about the rumors that he – so he told himself – should have expected to pop up, Seto had given the unfortunate employee who had brought him a selection of tabloids a chance to witness one of his famous rages; then he had mailed a copy of Kaito's passort, clearly proving the boy's birthday, and some pictures of Anzu - taken during that time - that showed her without even a trace of pregnancy, to the papers in question, none of which cared to print the evidence. Only then had he allowed himself to sink back and give in to the pictures his own mind was creating for him, pictures of a happy, laughing Anzu. A precious half hour went by, time enough to admit to himself that he would only be too happy to have her carry his child, to accept Kaito as his son if there was even a remote possibility… no. _Face the facts, Seto. _There _was_ no possibility, and therefore, such rumors must never be allowed again. The memory of once hearing a semi-drunk dinner guest of Gozaburo's speculating about him being an illegitimate Kaiba-offspring was too fresh. Too painful it was to think of the night he had spent awake, wondering whether his connections with his dead father were so weak, so indistinct, that other people could replace him at their will with someone like loathsome Gozaburo Kaiba.

--

Kaito reached for his hand and brought Seto's mind back to the present. "May I have some cotton candy?" For a moment, Seto was tempted to laugh, hug the boy and whirl him though the air like he had sometimes done with Mokuba, to tell him that he could have anything, anything that money could buy… But this was no behavior suitable for someone like Seto Kaiba. He just nodded and ordered some from the shy, red-haired girl at the sweets shop that hurried to obey her employer's wishes. It was only when he had handed Kaito his candy and bought the usual wafers for Mokuba that he turned again to face his little companion. "What do you think, should we bring something for Anzu, too?" Kaito agreed immediately and pointed at a bright red love apple among the other sweets. "That one", he demanded with a sincerity that made Seto smile and look at him thoughtfully at the same time. "You know, I think that might be a very good idea." He searched his wallet for some small coins, of which he usually didn't have that many, and paid for their purchases before the two of them made their way back to Anzu and Mokuba, Kaito carrying a whole cloud of cotton candy and Seto a stack of wafers and an almost vulgarly red love apple that did not do anything to diminish the questioning looks they provoked.

--

Kaito seemed really happy, Anzu noted gladly. She had expected him to refuse a visit to KaibaLand or to come along without enjoying the activities at all, but although he was still much too silent and serous-looking for a four-year-old, he smiled more than he ever had since the death of his parents, and even chatted a little with Seto. To see the two of them together was a unique spectacle she would gladly have watched the whole day without tiring: Seto, who was so tall that he dwarfed even Anzu, and walking beside him Kaito, whom one could almost mistake for a miniature version of Mokuba, had he worn his hair some longer. Right now, he echoed Anzu's grin with a cheerful smile and offered her some of his cotton candy, while Seto joined Mokuba and handed him the wafers. When the brunette youth turned around to face Anzu, his face showed an odd mixture of satisfaction, apprehension and… insecurity? Impossible, this was Seto Kaiba. "We brought you something as well", he told her calmly and handed her the love apple he was holding, trying to establish eye contact. How did he know that these were her favorites? But of course, he could not have known, still, her answer came out a little shakily. "Lucky guess. Thank you."

Beside her, Kaito was tucking at Mokuba's sleeve. The raven-haired youth had been so absorbed in watching how his brother tried to get his unspoken message through to Anzu, that it took him a few seconds to notice. "What is it?", he asked. "Can we go and try the dragon ride?" Mokuba looked surprised. "Sure. But would't you rather-" Take Anzu or Seto, he had wanted to say, but Kaito's look became so urgent it almost seemed pleading. In a fraction of a second, the round, naïvely childish features changed to express the understanding and knowledge of a grown up. "My mum says, if you really like someone, you sometimes want to be alone with him." So that was what he was trying to tell him. The younger Kaiba brother grinned and saw Anzu blush, while Seto tried to look composed, but obviously felt embarrassed. "Your mother was… _is_ a wise woman, Kaito", he replied and took his hand. "Let's go, then, I wanted to show you something else as well."

--

Anzu had never been kissed like this. The hint of apple and candy in her mouth almost reminded her of the first, insecure kiss she had exchanged with Yugi in primary school, but Yugi had been so shy, so nervous, as if all the world was watching and only waiting for them to make a mistake. Seto was holding her differently, the way that made her feel like she _was _all the world to him, and for this brief moment, she knew it was true. How could she care now that any moment someone could see them and realize who they were?

Almost as if he had read her thoughts, he released her and turned away, embarrassed. "I'm sorry. I know, you… have enough problems right now." Had she ever indicated that she regarded him as a problem? The thought added regret to all the mixed, strange feelings that already occupied Anzu´s thoughts, and without stopping to phrase what she wanted to tell him, she reached out for Seto's hand and said: "If you don't mind, I'd like to have one more." The next second, she would have liked to hit herself for being so clumsy, but Seto didn't seem to mind, he just looked relieved. So relieved that she couldn't resist taking his face into her hands and kissing him again, without caring that she could already see Mokuba and Kaito and they were certainly able to see her as well. "I think I'm falling in love", she whispered superflously.

"Anzu!" Kaito leaped into her arms without giving her time to recover. Seto was still standing far too near to make them look unsuspicious, and his lips were curved into a smile that made Mokuba grin with glee. The brunette barely managed to catch her foster child and place him upon her hips. "What is it?", she asked with a smile, but nonetheless astonished at his sudden boost of energy and liveliness, having almost abandoned the hope of ever seeing him like that again. Confidentially, Kaito placed his arms around her neck and whispered: "I wrote to my parents. Well…" He shot the brothers a quick glance, "Mokuba wrote. But he showed me how to write my name. I signed it." Anzu was not sure whether she knew what he was trying to tell her. "You… wrote to them? How?" The boy raised one arm and pointed to a small, red dot vanishing in the clouds, possibly a balloon. "We tied a card to it. They will get it, Mokuba promised." She was still not sure that she was getting this right, but as long as Mokuba had found a way to cheer Kaito up, she would certainly not interfere. "That's great. So you will want to learn how to write now?" After some time, Kaito grew to heavy for her to hold and Anzu placed him back on his own two feet, but took his hand in hers while they were slowly walking back to the gates. The boy nodded eagerly. "Mokuba promised to teach me. Whenever he's got time." Anzu felt herself feel more and more lighthearted with every step, as if she was going to float off behind that red balloon. They were really on their way to become a kind of a family, she realized. And when her eyes caught Seto's, she was glad that he placed one arm around her shoulders, or she might actually have left the ground.

* * *

_Finally, this story has come to an end. :-) _

_I hope you liked my work, I certainly enjoyed translating a story to English for a change, altough I sometimes felt frustrated at how clumsy it turned out. But I think I´m getting better. :D _

_There will be an epilogue, and of course, there´s the sequel, which I started to write in English, so maybe it will be easier to read than the translated stuff. _

_One last thing I´d like to ask of you: I noticed that during the last months, several people added this story to their favorites list without leaving so much as one review. I am, of course, delighted if you favorite my work, but I would also like to hear your thoughts about it, criticism as well as praise. So please, if you like this story enough to put it on your list, would you also leave me a short comment? Thank you. _


	11. Epilogue:The State Of Affairs

Hi Joey –

Who´d ever have thought that you could bring yourself to write a letter – on actual paper? But don´t you think you can fool me, I know very well that you only did this to avoid cheesy invitations. Now, I really have to congratulate you. I´m so glad Mai finally DID ask you, even if your pride may have been a little hurt at not being the one who proposes.  
After all, we all knew that this was coming. =)  
We´d love to come, of course. We – that´s Mokuba, Kaito, and me. Maybe we´ll even bring Seto along, if we can manage. :D

And since Mai seems to be so concerned with my love life, please do tell her that he provides me with as much happyness and satisfaction as I could ever ask for, in every respect. Or maybe you are reading this yourself, Mai?

Life has become almost normal over here. Even the tabloids seem to tire of featuring the topic of Seto Kaiba´s "new" girlfriend, but you´ve probably guessed that yourself, after all, we´re featured somewhere only every fortnight or so.  
Kaito likes his new room, now that he knows he can always come over to our bedroom at night, if he has one of his nightmares again. Luckily, that isn´t the case very often any more. But if he wakes up, he usually tries knocking on our door, which of course none of us hears, being asleep – but I´m glad I´m not the one who has to teach him manners. Then he tiptoes into the room, wakes up one or both of us and tells us what frightened him, and that´s pretty much all the consolation he needs to go back to sleep. I can´t say I´m complaining, it was hard enough to calm him down at the beginning. You should really see the way Seto can manage him, I think he´s used to it because Mokuba had the same problems once. Not that he ever says anything like that, but half-asleep it happens that you mix up two names. ;-)

It´s strange to see how we all "grow up", isn´t it? The two of you are about to marry, Yugi took over his grandpa´s toy shop... And I have to prove myself as a mother, I hope I don´t screw up too much. But speaking about weddings – I think Seto is going to propose to me. He thinks he´s going to surprise me, but all his "purely hypothetical" questions like whether I prefer diamonds or rubies are just a little too obvious. Don´t worry, you won´t have to come all the way from Tokyo to break his nose for that, because I won´t accept. But, just to make things clear – some time in the future I _will_ accept, and I won´t have any noses broken then, either. I´m a big girl already, you don´t have to play my governess. Just trust my instincts a little, Seto is not that bad. =)

See you soon

Anzu

--

Hey, Mum and Dad!

Guess what? Soon I´ll be able to write you myself!

Mokuba will show me how, but until I can, he will write my letters to you, I hope you don´t mind.

How are you? Mokuba says, where you are, you´re always fine, but I think I ought to ask once in a while.

I still miss you a lot, but Mokuba, Anzu and Seto are great, I think I can get along with them. Yesterday, Anzu and I made gingerbread, so we´ll have something to eat on Christmas. Seto says we might as well buy that, but I think Anzu´s cookies are a lot better than those you can buy. And I guess Seto thinks so, too, I don´t think he´s eaten any of the bought ones since he tried hers. She knows that, I think, ´cause she only laughs at him if he says something like that.

I have to stay at the kindergarten all day now, because Anzu started working again, and Seto and Mokuba are never at home during the day anyway. That´s not so great, because it was always nice just with Anzu and not so many people around, but they´re nice at the kindergarten, too. Anzu says, once I start school I won´t want to be with her any more, anyway, I´ll want to play with my friends all the time. That´s just not true, Anzu´s much nicer.

Love

KAITO

--

17.

Heavens, so much has happened during the last weeks, I hardly had time to keep up with the events. Joey and Mai are going to marry! Marry! The two of them! Yes, it was pretty obvious that it would come to that in the end, but somehow… I just can´t picture them settling down and having a real family of their own.

Seto and Anzu are way ahead of them in that respect, they´re already in the middle of that without having noticed, it seems. Anzu doesn´t like to hear that, however, she thinks I´m judging too soon. Too soon! What am I supposed to think? They not only moved in completely with each other (they realized it was senseless to have separate bed and living rooms, when they spend all their time together anyway), but as soon as they´re both at home, they can´t take their eyes off the other one. It´s a lucky thing that Kaito isn´t older yet, otherwise he would probably protest at the sight of so much obvious romance.

And I don´t even want to go into how they share Kaito as if he was their own son.

I can totally understand why they love him so much, though, he´s really cute. Some time ago we found one of the balloons he always sends "to his parents", it had been trapped in one of the trees in the garden. He was devastated, thought his parents might think he had stopped writing to them. Now we found him a "secret place" at the very back of the garden, where he can keep his letters so they don´t get lost. That almost sounds like I´m laughing at him, and I´m not. I really understand what a great relieve it is to him to get the feeling that he can share his life with his parents, even if they´re not bodily present any more, and never will be again.

Somehow, I´m quite sure that wherever they are, they will know what he wants to tell them.

--

This is NOT a diary. And much less is it one of those strange end-of-year letters one might write to oneself or to ones family. I will not start adopting sentimental traditions like that, even if a lot of things have changed here.

I just think it might be a good idea to write some of the things down, otherwise, I will never be able to tell what has happened to me. This woman is driving me insane – and I even like it.

I believe I am going to ask her to become my wife. This is going to happen sooner or later, and I cannot deny that I would prefer sooner. Anzu has made this house her own with all the photos she pinned to the walls, her cookie-baking and the Christmas decorations she is putting up everywhere, it is only fair that she will be able to call it her own officially, and soon.

Of course, Mokuba knows what I am planning already.

I have never been able to hide something of this importance from him. He had no objections when I told him, quite the contrary, all he said was: "About time."


End file.
